Child protection: Meta is now even threatened with fines amounting to trillions

The Facebook and Instagram group Meta is threatened with massive consequences in the legal dispute over the protection of minors in the USA. According to the company, four states are demanding penalties totaling $1.4 trillion.

Trial begins soon

The sum was now mentioned by Meta for the first time in a court document, like the news agency Reuters reported. The trial, in which the company is fighting against the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, is scheduled to begin in August in Oakland, California. Meta firmly rejects the demands. The company describes the calculation of the possible penalties as unfounded and argues that a sanction of this magnitude is unprecedented in the history of US consumer protection. In a statement, the company also stated that the plaintiffs’ calculations had neither a legal nor an actual basis. The company announced that it would continue to defend itself against the allegations.

The attorneys general of the four states accuse the company of deliberately developing Facebook and Instagram in such a way that young users in particular stay on the platforms for as long as possible. In addition, Meta is said to have deceived the public about possible risks for children and young people. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the lawsuit accuses the company of putting profits ahead of the safety of minors, thereby contributing to the psychological distress of an entire generation. Exactly how the $1.4 trillion claim was calculated is not yet publicly known. According to the plaintiffs, it is based on the number of alleged violations of the law multiplied by the penalty amounts in each state. The estimated number of affected children and young people serves as the basis.

Just the tip of the iceberg

The August trial is part of a larger wave of lawsuits against Meta. A total of 29 states have sued the company in federal court. They accuse him, among other things, of violating the US law to protect children’s online privacy. Meta denies all allegations and argues, among other things, that a scientifically recognized psychiatric diagnosis of “social media addiction” does not exist. The company’s statements about an alleged lack of addictive effects could therefore not have been misleading.

At the same time, other proceedings are underway against large platform operators such as Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok. They are also accused of deliberately designing their offerings in such a way that children and young people are retained for as long as possible. Here too, psychological problems were promoted.