Meta faces legal action over social media design and minor safety

Meta is facing a major legal challenge in the Oakland Federal Court in California. State attorneys general accuse the company of intentionally designing Facebook and Instagram to exploit the psychological vulnerabilities of minors to maximize user engagement and profit.

The prosecution focuses on specific architectural features of the platforms, including predictive recommendation algorithms that create content loops, infinite scroll, and constant push notifications designed to trigger dopamine responses. Additionally, the lawsuit highlights the impact of visual gratification systems, such as “likes” and photo filters, which are alleged to contribute to body dysmorphia, anxiety, and depression among adolescents.

Furthermore, Meta is accused of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by systematically tracking and profiling millions of children under the age of 13 without parental consent. Prosecutors claim company leadership was aware of the presence of these underage users but failed to act to protect market share.