Facebook whistleblower’s testimony paved the way for today’s trialpublished at 15:14 BST
Liv McMahon
Technology reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Facebook employee Frances Haughen has testified in front of US Congress about the company’s safety practices
The trial that begins today stems from a lawsuit filed against Meta by a coalition of US states in October 2023.
In that lawsuit, a group of attorneys general claimed the company had used addictive features to “ensnare” users, while also concealing the dangers of its platforms.
At the time, Meta was facing scrutiny after former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen testified in front of Congress that the company was aware that its products, particularly Instagram, were harming young people.
Haugen’s claims prompted an investigation by several state prosecutors, later forming the basis for the current multi-state lawsuit against Meta.
The social media giant has consistently and strongly denied allegations it failed to protect teens. But its efforts to dismiss this suit, or at least diffuse it into smaller trials, has largely failed.
Now, four of the 29 states suing the company – California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey – will present their case.
