Meta is facing a landmark federal trial in California over allegations that it deliberately designed Instagram and Facebook to be addictive to children. A coalition of 29 US states accuse Meta of misleading the public about the dangers of its platforms to minors, and designing features that encourage addictive use while collecting personal data from children under 13 without parental control. The states are seeking up to $200 billion in penalties. This case has been described as social media’s “big tobacco moment” because of its potential impact on the technology industry.