Meta faces $1.4 trillion lawsuit from four US states over addictive platform design

If you've ever found yourself doom-scrolling through Instagram or Facebook for hours and felt guilty—don't. The technology is functioning exactly as designed.

From the length and style of Reels to the algorithms' encyclopedic knowledge of your preferences, every element is engineered to keep you engaged on the platform.

The addictive nature of social media has been the subject of extensive research for years. In 2019, scientists published a study demonstrating that the addictive qualities of smartphones and their applications have numerous detrimental mental health effects, including links to anxiety disorder and depression. These effects are particularly pronounced in children and teenagers.

While many assume personal responsibility is the only path to breaking the cycle, at least four U.S. states are suing Meta Platforms (META), alleging the company intentionally makes its flagship products addictive at the expense of public health.

Four States Sue Meta for a Combined $1.4 Trillion

Meta Platforms—the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—faces penalties of up to $1.4 trillion from lawsuits filed by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey on behalf of their citizens.

This week, Meta submitted a court filing responding to the state attorneys general's arguments on how penalties should be calculated if the states prevail at trial.

"A sanction of that size has no analog in the history of consumer protection enforcement," Meta said in the filing, according to Reuters.

In a separate statement to Reuters, Meta added: "The plaintiffs' outlandish calculations have no basis in fact or law."

Notably, Meta's entire market capitalization is approximately $1.4 trillion.

While the states' filings remain sealed ahead of an August trial date in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the attorneys general have indicated they are calculating penalties by multiplying the number of alleged violations by fine amounts set by state law.

Last month, the court fully denied Meta's attempt to obtain a summary judgment that would have terminated the lawsuit, which alleges that Meta:

• Designed and deployed harmful features on its platforms that addict children and teens
• Caused severe mental and physical detriment to young users
• Misled the public about the existence and severity of these risks

Meta has also been sued by an additional 29 states, with most alleging the company violated the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data from children without proper parental consent.

The August trial will address all claims brought under that federal law, as well as the four states' allegations that Meta violated their respective state laws, according to Reuters.

Meta has denied the allegations and argues that the states lack evidence it misled consumers about platform addictiveness, stating that "social media addiction" is not an established psychiatric condition.

Meta Is Not the Only Social Media Company Being Sued

Since the pandemic, TikTok has surpassed Instagram and Facebook in popularity among young people—and the platform appears to be equally addictive.

Recently, TikTok settled with a Florida teenager who sued the company over the platform's addictive nature, which he claimed harmed his mental health. The 15-year-old boy accused TikTok, along with Meta, YouTube, and Snapchat, of designing their platforms to be addictive through features such as infinite scroll and autoplay.

"He's still a kid. He is still in high school and evaluating the impact that social media has had on his very young life," Emily Jeffcott, his attorney, told NBC News.

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