A trial in Nashville begins in which Tennessee accuses Meta of harming teenagers through Instagram features and of ignoring concerns identified in its own research. In opening statements, state lawyers argue that Meta—owner of Instagram and Facebook—learned internally that elements designed to keep users engaged, such as autoplay, notifications, and infinite scroll, contribute to compulsive use among teens. Tennessee says Meta’s researchers linked that compulsive behavior to mental health outcomes including depression and self-harm, and that despite these findings the company did not change the features or otherwise act to reduce potential harm.
Meta’s attorneys, speaking in response, say the company has emphasized transparency about its research and that it does not intentionally target teenagers in the way Tennessee alleges. The state also points to documents it says show Meta internally concluded that engagement-focused design can conflict with adolescent well-being, and that Meta nonetheless continued business practices that benefit from keeping teens on the platform.
The case is expected to last about seven weeks in state court, with a jury weighing the competing accounts.
