States take Meta to trial in California in the biggest fight yet over social media harms to children

States are suing Meta in California, accusing the social media giant of knowingly designing features that contribute to youth addiction and violating federal law by collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent. The lawsuit seeks massive financial damages up to $1.4 trillion, along with structural changes to how Facebook and Instagram operate. Meta disputes these allegations, stating that it has addressed the issues after consulting with parents and experts.