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States allege Meta uses four-step strategy to hook users and harvest data

California and 28 other states opened a landmark trial Tuesday accusing Meta of designing addictive social media platforms and violating children's privacy laws through a strategy prosecutors said amounts to hooking, holding, harvesting and hiding.

By El Medio Oriente
August 30, 2026
A courtroom sketch showing a woman in the foreground and several people seated in the background, with portraits visible on the wall behind them.
A courtroom scene from the trial in which California and 28 other states are accusing Meta of designing addictive social media platforms and violating children's privacy laws. (The Guardian — Technology)
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California and 28 other states opened a landmark trial against Meta on Tuesday, accusing the owner of Facebook and Instagram of designing addictive platforms and violating laws protecting children's privacy. A prosecutor outlined the company's alleged strategy using four words beginning with the letter H: hook, hold, harvest and hide.

According to the lawyer, Meta "hooks" users into its platforms, "holds" them on the services for as long as possible and "harvests" their personal data. The states further alleged that the company then "hides" the truth from the public about these practices.

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States allege Meta uses four-step strategy to hook users and harvest data | El Medio Oriente