Attorneys general from four states are seeking approximately $1.4 trillion in penalties from Meta over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were designed to encourage addictive use among young people and that the company misled the public about the platforms’ safety.
The social media giant disclosed the figure in a court filing on July 6, a week after a federal judge rejected its bid to dispose of the claims before trial. The case is scheduled to go before a jury on Aug. 18 in Oakland, California.
The amount, which approaches Meta’s market value of roughly $1.5 trillion, represents the company’s estimate of the potential penalties proposed by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey if the states prevail at trial….