Why US states fought to present a united case against Meta over youth social media harms
As opening statements got underway in a landmark trial over claims that Meta Platforms misled the public about the safety of Instagram and Facebook for young users and violated child privacy laws, one of the biggest fights in the case had already been resolved: whether a bipartisan group of US states would present their claims together. The states pushed for a single trial covering state consumer protection and federal privacy claims brought by 29 attorneys general, while Meta argued for a series of smaller trials grouping states that have similar laws. The fight was about more than courtroom logistics. The states argued that the case centres on company-wide decisions affecting young users across the country and seeks nationwide changes to Meta's platforms, and that jurors should hear a single story about Meta's actions. Meta countered that jurors should evaluate states' claims separately because the underlying laws differ and warned that a combined proceeding...