New Delhi, Aug. 17 -- Meta is facing a major legal challenge in California as a coalition of US states accuses the company of designing Facebook and Instagram in ways that encouraged addictive use among children and teenagers.

Opening arguments begin Tuesday (18 August) in Oakland federal court, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta leading the case alongside attorneys general from Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by 30 states, alleges violations of federal and state privacy and consumer protection laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

The trial follows a significant defeat for Meta in New Mexico, where a jury found the company liable for violating the state's unfair practices la...