Almost equivalent to its entire market value! Meta faces a sky-high claim of $1.4 trillion

According to CCTV News reports, the U.S. states of California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey have jointly filed a lawsuit against Meta, seeking up to $1.4 trillion in penalties.

This amount is nearly equivalent to Meta's total market value of approximately $1.5 trillion, making it an extraordinarily massive claim in the history of U.S. consumer protection litigation.

The case will be heard at the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, with opening statements set to begin on August 18. The trial is expected to last six weeks, with an initial verdict possible by early October. Zuckerberg has been listed by prosecutors as a key witness and is required to appear for questioning.

The core allegations from prosecutors center on the protection of minors. The complaint argues that Meta knowingly designed features on Facebook and Instagram—such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and like notifications—that would cause addiction among teenagers. Internal research also confirmed that Instagram worsened body image anxiety and depression among many young girls, yet the company deliberately concealed these risks from the public and continued to maintain this addictive product design, misleading consumers.

Additionally, the platforms' age verification has loopholes, allowing a large number of children under 13 to register accounts, which allegedly involves the improper collection of minors' information and violates child privacy protection regulations.

Meta has categorically denied all allegations, responding that the plaintiffs' penalty calculation lacks factual and legal basis, and that this astronomical fine has no precedent in enforcement history. The company stated it will vigorously defend itself to the end. Prior to this, Meta has already lost several similar lawsuits, with cumulative compensation approaching $1 billion.

A total of 29 states across the country have joined the series of lawsuits against social platforms for harming teenagers. The outcome of this case could potentially affect the entire overseas social media industry, forcing platforms to modify algorithms and features and tighten product rules for minors.