Meta acknowledges social media struggles, defends safety efforts

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Oakland: Meta said the US federal court that it has taken steps over the years to address safety concerns around Facebook and Instagram as it defended itself against claims that it intentionally constructed its platforms to keep children and teenagers hooked. ‘There can be no dispute that Meta has both recognized that people can struggle with their use of social media and tried to come up with tools to help them,’ said Meta's lawyer Paul Schmidt.

The complaint was made by a group of 29 US states, who claimed that Meta purposefully promoted teenage users' prolonged and obsessive use by utilising features like personalised recommendations and endless scrolling. Additionally, the states accuse the company of misleading clients about the security of its platforms and treating children's data improperly.

Meta strongly refutes the accusations, claiming that the states have failed to show that the firm intentionally intended to do harm to youth. Its lawyers cited attempts to work with parents, experts, and law enforcement, as well as research and safety measures geared at helping young users.

Meta may face serious consequences as a result of the trial, which is now taking place in federal court in Oakland. The states want reforms to the way Facebook and Instagram work, including limitations on younger users and the removal or modification of features that they believe encourage addictive behaviour. Meta has estimated that possible damages might be as high as $1.4 trillion.

The proceedings are set to take weeks, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri among those set to testify. The case comes amid a growing number of legal proceedings and regulatory actions about the impact of social media on children and teenagers.