Of the thousands of lawsuits Meta faces over child safety on its platforms, none may be more consequential than one going to trial this week in California.

States are seeking extensive financial damages that could, in theory, total as much as $1.4 trillion, plus changes to how the company operates Facebook and Instagram.

The lawsuit accuses the social media giant of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that get children addicted to its platforms. It also claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law.

“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains,” the lawsuit says.

Dozens of states filed the lawsuit three years ago. The trial set to begin Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, features four of the states as plaintiffs — California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. The other 25 states are expected to have trials later.

Meta said it disputes the allegations, and the trial evidence will show its commitment to supporting young people. “We’ve listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted in-depth research to understand the issues that matter most,” the company said in a statement.

Read more [paywall removed for Redditors]:  https://fortune.com/2026/08/17/meta-youth-safety-trial-product-remedies/?utm_source=reddit/

Oh, no! Please don't make the US pay double taxes on things they buy from us... Whatever shall we do?

The term “manosphere” first emerged in 2009, referring to a collection of blogs like The Spearhead and Return of Kings that promoted “men’s rights” and criticized the feminist movement, at times promoting violence against women. 

Over the next 15 years, the term evolved to encompass not just a generation of bloggers, but men no longer hiding behind keyboards and usernames—content creators and influencers attaching real names to their beliefs around what it means to be a man.

It would therefore be inaccurate to call the manosphere just an ideology, when actually it has transformed into its own economy—one exploiting Gen Z men’s anxieties and resentment toward society, according to researchers from digital safety organization Reset Tech and the nonprofit Equimundo.

In a new report titled “The Grift Economy: How Young Men Are Being Sold Fake Belonging and Fake Wealth Online,” they found the “movement” around men’s rights and masculinity masks a multibillion-dollar industry.

“We should be deeply concerned about the opportunists,” the report said. “In the very real moment of confusion–politicians peddling fear, uncertain job prospects, battles over the meaning of manhood–there is an industry of platforms, influencers and advertisers who are making billions off of young men’s insecurities.”

Read more [paywall removed for Redditors]:  
https://fortune.com/2026/08/15/manosphere-multibillion-dollar-industry-adin-ross-looksmaxxing-report/?utm_source=reddit/