Meta Faces Trillions in Lawsuits Over Teen Safety

Meta Platforms is defending itself against thousands of lawsuits from individuals, school districts, and more than 40 state attorneys general who allege the company prioritized business growth over the safety of underage users. Recent court defeats in New Mexico and Los Angeles have weakened the company's reliance on Section 230 protections, as judges increasingly allow trials based on addictive product design rather than user-generated content.

In New Mexico, a court ordered the company to pay 375 million dollars in damages under consumer-protection laws. In Los Angeles, a 20-year-old plaintiff was awarded 6 million dollars. Meta plans to appeal both verdicts. The company is currently in a trial with the Tennessee attorney general and faces a federal trial in Oakland in August, where four attorneys general are seeking damages totaling up to 1.4 trillion dollars.

To defend its products, Meta is promoting new teen safety features and advocating for federal legislation to replace the existing patchwork of court rulings. Simultaneously, the company is spending up to 145 billion dollars this year to transition its business model toward artificial intelligence.