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Topline Opening arguments are set to begin Tuesday in a blockbuster tech trial in which U.S. states have accused Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, of targeting children with intentionally addictive features on its social media platforms, which could result in a large fine and changes to Meta’s flagship platforms.
Meta’s trial kicks off Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, led by state attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, four states out of 29 that have filed lawsuits against Meta over child safety concerns.
Kentucky’s attorney general Russell Coleman called the suit the “largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history,” alleging Meta “concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable.”
The state attorneys general plan to argue Meta intentionally designed products that it knew were dangerous for children while marketing them as safe, while Meta will argue it has implemented safeguards for children and was truthful about its safety to consumers.
The trial could result in a large financial penalty for Meta, as well as possible changes to the way it operates its key social media platforms, as the state attorneys general have pointed to features like “like” counts, image filters, infinite scroll features and highly personalized algorithms as intentionally addictive elements of Meta’s platforms.
The state attorneys general behind the lawsuit are seeking severe financial penalties and changes to the way Meta operates its flagship social media platforms. The states have said they are seeking damages close to $200 billion, though Meta had claimed in court filings states are seeking damages totaling a whopping $1.4 trillion, a figure that nearly matches Meta’s market capitalization. Legal experts have cast doubt on damages reaching the $1.4 trillion mark. James Grimmelmann, a Cornell Law School professor, told the Associated Press it “seems extremely unlikely” damages would be so high, saying an “award that large would put Meta into bankruptcy, wipe out its owners, and effectively result in the states owning Meta.” The lawsuit also accuses Meta of implementing various features that “exploit young users’ psychological vulnerabilities” and “cultivated a sense of ‘fear of missing out’” that kept young users coming back to the social media apps frequently, specifically calling out features including Instagram Stories, which disappear after 24 hours, as well as autoplay features, displaying “like” counts and designing feeds with infinite scroll capabilities.
The trial could see high-profile testimony from Meta executives, including co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who is worth $188.2 billion as of Tuesday, according to Forbes estimates , making him the No. 7 richest person in the world. According to a witness list submitted to the court, Zuckerberg is likely to testify about Meta’s knowledge of harms from its platforms, its impact on children and Meta’s “prioritization of growth over safety.” Other potential witnesses include Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, as well as Susan Li, Meta’s chief financial officer, as well as other current and former Meta employees spanning research, safety, product design and marketing.
The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks. An eight-person jury will give a recommendation to Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who will determine a final verdict and damages. Gonzalez Rogers, an Obama appointee, has previously presided over big tech trials, including this year’s court battle between billionaires Elon Musk and Sam Altman.
In a statement on its website, Meta says lawsuits over child safety “misportray our company and the work we do every day to provide young people with safe, valuable experiences online.” The company touted its introduction of Teen Accounts, which include built-in safety features that limit who users can contact and the content they see on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger. In a statement dated last week, Meta criticized the state attorneys general who are behind Tuesday’s trial. “The State AGs may call this a landmark case, but their limited claims are unsubstantiated and their financial demands are vastly disproportionate,” the company said in a statement, saying they have offered “no proof anyone in their states was misled, claim benign features like having an additional Instagram account somehow harmed their residents, and attempt to penalize Meta for industry-wide challenges like age verification.”
Meta has already been found liable in cases that have made similar arguments. In March, Meta and YouTube were found liable after a woman sued, accusing the platforms of harming her mental health with features that were designed to be addictive, like personalized algorithms and infinite scroll. Meta was ordered to pay $4.2 million, while YouTube was on the hook for $1.8 million. Earlier this month, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million, adding to a $375 million fine a New Mexico court ordered the company to pay earlier this year over child safety. The judge also prohibited Meta’s apps from sending young users push notifications between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., while also ordering Meta to limit the amount of time children spend on its apps. Meta is facing thousands of lawsuits across the country relating to child safety and social media addiction. Meta said in July its profits dropped for the second quarter of 2026, partially citing increased spending on legal fees.
Meta Ordered to Pay $567 Million in New Mexico Child Safety Case (New York Times)
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