Hook, hold, harvest and hide: Meta's alleged strategy laid out in first week
A landmark trial has begun in California where 29 states are suing Meta for allegedly designing addictive social media platforms that harm children. Prosecutors argue the company uses a 'hook, hold, harvest, and hide' strategy to exploit young users.
Why it matters
This trial could set a major legal precedent for tech regulation, potentially resulting in massive damages and forcing changes to how social media companies handle child privacy.
‘Meta’s business model worked especially well for kids.’ ‘Meta’s business model worked especially well for kids.’ Meta Hook, hold, harvest and hide: Meta’s alleged strategy laid out in first week of landmark trial In trial that opened on Tuesday, California and 28 other states accused the company of designing addictive sites and violating laws protecting children’s privacy
Prefer the Guardian on Google Meta’s business can be boiled down to four words that begin with the letter H: hook, hold, harvest, hide, according to a lawyer who is prosecuting the world’s largest social media company.
The owner of Facebook and Instagram “hooks” in users, “holds” them on its platforms for as long as possible, “harvests” their data and then “hides” the truth from the public, she argued.
“Meta’s business model worked especially well for kids,” said Megan O’Neill, a lawyer for the state of California .
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