A bipartisan coalition of 29 state attorneys general is suing Meta in federal court in California for deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to addict young users. The core allegation centers on a strategy called « hook, hold, harvest, hide, » claiming Meta ignored its own internal research linking engagement features to mental health issues in minors. The states are seeking damages exceeding $200 billion, roughly equal to Meta’s estimated 2025 revenue of $201 billion. A victory for the states could establish that the way an app is designed can constitute harm under state consumer protection laws, setting a major legal precedent for the tech industry.
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