India, Aug. 18 -- Meta is facing another high-stakes court battle over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to keep children hooked, as lawsuits accusing major social media companies of harming young users continue to mount across the US.

In a federal trial beginning Tuesday in Oakland, California, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook is defending itself against claims that its platforms have contributed to the youth mental health crisis by designing features that encourage children to become addicted.

The case is one of several lawsuits being heard across the US involving Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube. The companies are facing allegations that their platforms have harmed children's mental heal...