OAKLAND, California, Aug. 12 (Reuters) — Meta Platforms will face a coalition of U.S. states in a federal court trial beginning Wednesday over allegations that the company deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children, in a case that could result in billions of dollars in damages and force major changes to its social media platforms.

The seven-week trial in Oakland will examine claims by Colorado, Kentucky, California and New Jersey that Meta engineered its platforms to keep young users engaged and misled the public about the safety of its products.

The case will also consider allegations by 29 states that Meta unlawfully collected and used children's personal data in violation of federal law.

Zuckerberg, Mosseri expected to testify

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Wednesday, with opening arguments expected on Aug. 18.

Meta founder and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri are expected to testify during the proceedings.

The trial is being closely watched as one of the biggest legal challenges yet faced by Meta over the impact of social media on children and teenagers.

Meta has estimated that the states could seek damages of as much as $1.4 trillion, although the attorneys general have not publicly disclosed the amount they intend to seek.

The states are also asking the court to order Meta to introduce age restrictions and eliminate features such as infinite scrolling and other design elements they say encourage excessive use.

Meta rejects allegations

Meta has strongly denied the allegations and said it is confident that evidence presented at trial will demonstrate its efforts to protect young people.

A Meta spokesperson said the company had listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted research into issues affecting young users.

Meta has also argued that it could not have misled consumers by claiming its platforms were not addictive because "social media addiction" is not formally recognized as a psychiatric disorder.

Lawsuit follows whistleblower revelations

The states' lawsuit, filed in 2023, followed a multistate investigation into the effects of Facebook and Instagram on children and teenagers.

The investigation gained momentum after former Meta employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before a U.S. Senate committee in 2021. She alleged that Meta knew its products could harm young users and had information about ways to make them safer but failed to make sufficient changes.

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said ahead of the trial that the states allege Meta knew its platforms were harming children and teenagers while continuing to encourage addictive use.

Public pressure over social media grows

The case comes amid increasing scrutiny of social media companies around the world over their impact on young people.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 85% of Americans believe social media can be addictive for children, while 61% said social media companies need stronger government oversight.

Meta, along with other major social media companies, is facing thousands of lawsuits brought by states, school districts, municipalities and individuals alleging that their platforms contribute to harm among young users.

Recent court losses increase pressure on Meta

The latest trial comes after Meta suffered several legal setbacks.

Juries in two cases that have already gone to trial reached verdicts against the company. Last week, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million and make changes to its platforms after finding the company responsible for contributing to a children's mental health crisis in the state.

Meta has also settled a lawsuit filed by a Kentucky school district for $9 million, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled for June.

Legal experts say the latest case could become a pivotal moment for Meta, particularly following its recent courtroom losses.

Eric Goldman, a professor and co-director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law, said large damage awards and court-ordered changes to platform features could pose serious threats to social media companies.

Unusual advisory jury to guide judge

Meta suffered another setback on Monday when a U.S. court rejected its last-minute attempt to delay the trial and halt thousands of other lawsuits against social media companies.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will oversee the trial and is expected to issue her ruling in October.

Rogers has taken the unusual step of appointing an advisory jury that will consider specific questions selected by the judge. While the jury's findings will help guide her decision, Rogers will have the authority to accept or reject them.

States seek sweeping changes to Meta platforms

The states are seeking more than financial penalties. They want the court to order nationwide changes to Facebook and Instagram.

Among their demands are age restrictions for users, the deletion of algorithms and artificial-intelligence models developed using children's data, and the removal of features such as infinite scrolling and notifications.

They are also asking Meta to change its content recommendation algorithms so that they prioritize users' well-being rather than engagement, as well as introduce stricter time limits for young users.

Thousands of lawsuits await

The case is part of a much broader legal battle.

More than 3,000 lawsuits filed by school districts, individuals and others against Meta, Snap, Alphabet's YouTube and TikTok owner ByteDance have been centralized before Judge Rogers in federal court.

A separate group of more than 3,300 lawsuits, largely brought by individuals, is pending in a Los Angeles state court.

The outcome of the Oakland trial could therefore have implications far beyond Meta, potentially shaping how major social media companies design and operate platforms used by children and teenagers.