Meta in Court: 29 States Allege Facebook and Instagram Created Addiction in Children
The largest trial against the tech giant to date begins, with potential damages up to $1.4 trillion and demands for sweeping platform changes.
The largest trial against the tech giant to date begins, with potential damages up to $1.4 trillion and demands for sweeping platform changes.
Meta Platforms will face a coalition of state attorneys general in federal court in Oakland, California, on Wednesday, in a proceeding that represents the company's biggest legal challenge yet. The trial, expected to last seven weeks, will examine claims that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to create addiction in children and teenagers.
Jury selection is scheduled for Wednesday, August 13, 2026, with opening statements set to begin on August 18. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with Instagram head Adam Mosseri, are expected to testify. The proceedings will be overseen by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, with a verdict expected in October.
The trial will address claims by four states-Colorado, Kentucky, California, and New Jersey-that Meta designed its platforms to keep young users engaged and misled consumers about their safety. Simultaneously, the case encompasses allegations from as many as 29 states that the company unlawfully collected and used children's data, violating federal laws. Sources, however, disagree on the total number of plaintiffs-Tportal cites 33 states, while Channel News Asia reports 29.
"Meta knows its platforms harm children and teenagers, yet it keeps them hooked, as we've stated in our lawsuit. Our children are not data points to be monetized," said Jennifer Davenport, New Jersey's attorney general, ahead of the trial.
According to Meta's own estimates, potential damages in this and related cases could reach $1.4 trillion (approximately €1.3 trillion). That figure approaches the company's total market capitalization of $1.5 trillion. The financial strain is already evident-Meta spent around $2.4 billion on legal proceedings in the last quarter alone.
Pressure on the company intensified last week when a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $567 million and implement changes to its platforms after finding it responsible for fueling a youth mental health crisis in that state.
Beyond monetary damages, state attorneys general are also seeking far-reaching changes to how the platforms operate. Demands include implementing age restrictions, eliminating infinite scroll, deleting all algorithms and AI models built on children's data, and setting strict time limits for young users. They also want content recommendation algorithms to prioritize user well-being over engagement.
A Meta spokesperson said the company "strongly disagrees with the allegations" and is confident the evidence will show its long-standing commitment to supporting young people. "We've listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement agencies, and conducted extensive research to understand the issues that matter most," they said.
The trial is part of a broader wave of over 3,000 lawsuits filed against Meta, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok. The cases were initiated after whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before the U.S. Senate in 2021 that Meta knew its products could harm young people but chose not to implement changes for greater profit.
A key precedent was set earlier this year when a court ruled in favor of K.G.M., now 20, who claimed that the platforms' addictive features led her to severe addiction from an early age, worsening her depression and anxiety. That ruling showed that users can bypass the protection that Section 230 of the U.S. Communications Decency Act provides to platforms, shielding them from liability for user-generated content. Judge Rogers made the unusual decision to include an advisory jury, whose findings will guide her final ruling.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week, 85% of Americans believe social media can create addiction in children, while 61% of respondents think stricter oversight of these companies is needed.
"Large damages and court orders regarding platform features potentially pose existential threats to the defendant social media companies," warned Eric Goldman, professor and co-director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law.
