Meta ‘exploited’ children by making Instagram, Facebook addictive, US court hears

OAKLAND: Meta hooked and exploited children, a federal court heard Tuesday in the trial of the social media giant on charges that it deliberately made Instagram and Facebook addictive to young users.

In what many experts have called social media’s “big tobacco moment,” a coalition of states are demanding Meta pay $200 billion in penalties for using technology specifically designed to foster addiction among children in a similar fashion to cigarettes.