Meta Platforms is facing a fresh legal challenge in Tennessee, where the state alleges that Instagram was deliberately designed to keep teenagers hooked and that the company concealed evidence about the platform’s potential impact on young users.
Jury selection began Monday in Nashville for a trial expected to run for seven weeks. Tennessee is seeking financial penalties as well as a court order requiring changes to Instagram’s design and features.
The case alleges that Meta violated the state’s consumer protection laws by creating a platform that encourages compulsive use while misleading the public about the risks posed to teenagers.
According to the state, Meta had access to internal research indicating that Instagram could negatively affect young users but continued operating features that it allegedly knew could contribute to those harms. The allegations also claim that senior executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, were warned about the findings but did not provide sufficient support for efforts aimed at reducing the risks.
The state’s case is expected to focus on several features of Instagram, including autoplay, Reels, notifications and designs that encourage users to return repeatedly to content before it disappears.
Meta has rejected the allegations. The company says it has spent years developing safety measures and age-appropriate settings for teenagers, while also giving parents tools to establish limits on their children’s use of the platform.
The company has also argued that the claims improperly hold it responsible for content posted by users and that federal protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shield it from liability for third-party content.
### A Wider Legal Battle Over Social Media and Children
The Tennessee proceedings are unfolding as Meta faces a growing wave of lawsuits alleging that its platforms contribute to mental-health problems among young people.
If the jury finds Meta liable under Tennessee law, the case will enter a second phase in which the judge will consider penalties and possible changes to Instagram. The state’s consumer protection law allows fines of up to $1,000 for each violation.
The trial is also set to overlap with other cases involving Meta. A separate lawsuit brought by a 15-year-old Florida boy against Meta and Snap is scheduled to begin later this month. He alleges that social media use harmed his mental health.
Meanwhile, a federal trial involving claims brought by 29 states is scheduled to begin in August. That case includes allegations concerning the collection of children’s data and other state-law claims.
Similar litigation has spread across the country, with states, school districts and individual families pursuing claims against social media companies over alleged harm to children.
Tennessee’s case is only the second state-led lawsuit against Meta to reach trial on these broader allegations. Earlier this year, a New Mexico jury concluded that Meta had misled consumers about the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and awarded the state $375 million in damages.
A separate proceeding in New Mexico is examining whether Meta’s conduct created a public nuisance. The judge has yet to decide whether the company should be ordered to make changes or pay additional damages.
