Child exploitation, grooming, and social media addiction claims put Meta on trial

The document reports on landmark trials in New Mexico and California alleging that Meta (and Google) harmed children through addictive design and inadequate safety on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, with evidence including sting operations and internal documents citing large-scale exploitation. It references prior whistleblower revelations, claims that growth was prioritized over safety, and notes parallel global moves to restrict youth social media access amid uncertain enforcement. U.S. federal action remains limited, with COPPA as the sole major law and KOSA stalled, while Meta warns of potential financial impacts as juries weigh whether platform designs crossed legal lines.