‘The young ones are the best ones’: the Meta documents now in front of an Oakland judge
This title could be clearer and more informative.Try out Clickbait Shieldfor free (5 uses left this month).
A federal trial in Oakland before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is examining internal Meta documents in a consumer-protection and COPPA case brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, representing a broader 29-state coalition covering 3,000 claims. Exhibits include a 2016 email describing 'teen time spent' as a company goal, a study titled 'Long Term Retention: The Young Ones Are The Best Ones' on tween usage, and a 2021 internal survey of 13- to 15-year-olds showing significant rates of bullying, unwanted sexual advances, and exposure to violent or self-harm content. Meta's counsel conceded some users struggle but disputed a causal link to wellbeing harm. Former Instagram wellbeing consultant Arturo Bejar testified that Instagram 'changed from a product that you can use into a product that uses you.' The states estimate realistic financial exposure around $200 billion, contrasting with a $1.4 trillion figure from Meta's own filing. The trial is expected to run about six weeks with a ruling anticipated in early October.
