Hook, hold, harvest and hide: Meta's alleged strategy laid out in first week
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Meta's alleged 'hook, hold, harvest and hide' strategy targeting children laid out in trial.
The trial, opened Tuesday in Oakland, involves California and 28 other states suing Meta for allegedly designing addictive products that violate child privacy laws by collecting data on children under 13 without parental permission. A lawyer summarized Meta's strategy as 'hook, hold, harvest, hide.' Star witness Arturo Béjar, a former safety engineer, testified Meta takes a 'don't ask, don't tell' approach to child safety. If found liable, damages could reach $200bn. Meta denies allegations.
What commenters are saying
Many commenters argue that individuals within Meta, not just the corporation, should be held criminally accountable. A split emerged: some advocate for prison time for executives, citing China as an example of punishing those who harm society, while others defend US rule of law and warn against comparing legal systems. Several comments note the lack of prosecution for social and environmental harms. One thread dissects internal company quotes from the trial, debating whether they show malicious intent or banal growth objectives.