Meta confronts billion-dollar lawsuits over addictive features amid AI investment push FAST-MOVING

Meta Platforms Inc., the owner of Facebook and Instagram, is facing a wave of lawsuits in the United States that seek to force the company to change design elements deemed "addictive" and harmful to adolescents. State attorneys general, school districts and thousands of users have filed claims that could result in damages approaching $1.4 trillion, a sum comparable to Meta's market capitalisation. The actions allege that the platforms prioritize rapid growth over youth mental‑health protection and demand judicial orders to alter core product dynamics.

Meta has reported mixed legal outcomes. In May it settled a case with a Kentucky school district before a trial in Los Angeles, and earlier this year a teenager withdrew a suit after a settlement that also involved YouTube, Snap and TikTok. The company says it will contest claims it deems unfounded and stresses that its platforms are safe, while continuing heavy investment in artificial‑intelligence technologies to sustain future growth. Potential court‑mandated redesigns could weigh heavily on Meta's business at a time when user growth has stalled and the firm is navigating a broader slowdown in the social‑media market.