A Massive Lawsuit Could Mean the End of Instagram Stories

Instagram’s disappearing Stories feature could be on the chopping block if Meta Platforms (META.O) loses a landmark lawsuit brought by U.S. states accusing the social media giant of deliberately designing its platforms to keep children hooked.

The case, being heard in a federal court in Oakland, California, is one of the biggest legal challenges yet to Meta’s Facebook and Instagram businesses. A coalition of 29 states is accusing the company of violating child privacy laws and designing features that encourage excessive use and harm young people’s mental health.

The states are seeking sweeping changes to Instagram and Facebook, beyond financial penalties. Among the measures reported by several outlets are parental verification for teenage users, changes to recommendation algorithms, an end to autoplay and infinite scrolling, restrictions on multiple accounts and the removal of disappearing or “ephemeral” posts such as Instagram Stories.

That last demand could fundamentally alter one of Instagram’s most recognizable features. Introduced in 2016, Stories allow users to post photos and videos that normally disappear after 24 hours. The feature was closely modeled on Snapchat’s disappearing-post format and has since become a central part of Instagram’s user experience.

The states argue that Stories and other design elements can encourage prolonged and repetitive use. Court filings cited by media reports say Instagram’s algorithm recommends content across surfaces including the main feed, Explore, Stories and Reels, while Stories automatically and continuously play content, making it easier for users to remain on the platform.

The potential removal of Stories is part of a much broader challenge to Meta’s product design. The states want the company to alter features including infinite scroll, video autoplay, appearance-changing filters and public like counts for younger users. The financial exposure could also be enormous: Meta has estimated potential damages in the case could reach $1.4 trillion, although the states have not publicly specified a damages figure they intend to seek.

Meta has rejected the allegations, saying it has spent years developing protections for young people and consulting parents, experts and law enforcement. Its lawyers argue that the states have not established that the company’s products were deliberately designed to harm children.

The lawsuit comes after a series of legal setbacks for Meta over alleged harms to young users. A New Mexico case resulted in a judgment of $942 million and orders requiring additional safeguards, while a Los Angeles jury earlier this year found Meta and YouTube liable in a separate case involving social media addiction. A U.S. appeals court has also allowed thousands of lawsuits alleging that major social media companies deliberately designed addictive products to proceed.

A ruling requiring Meta to remove or redesign features could force the company to rethink how Instagram is built and monetized, potentially changing the experience for millions of users.

The trial is expected to last several weeks, and any final judgment and resulting remedies could face appeals. 

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