Parents of children whose deaths are linked to social media usage hold a press conference as Meta faces a significant federal court trial in Oakland, California, August 18, 2026. — Reuters
Meta Platforms dismissed claims by US states that it deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children for profit, as the trial commenced—potentially rewriting the rules for some of the world’s most popular apps.
A coalition of 29 states across the political spectrum is suing Meta, seeking billions in penalties and reforms to its business practices.
California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey led the charges, alleging that Meta engineered Facebook and Instagram to retain young users longer, contributing to increased anxiety, depression, and even suicides. They also accused the company of misleading the public about the safety of its platforms. All 29 states claim Meta illegally collected and exploited children’s personal data under federal law.
Experts describe this trial—beginning with opening statements in Oakland—as one of the most consequential legal challenges to social media’s impact on youth.
In addition to Meta, other social media giants including Snap, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, and YouTube’s owner Alphabet face countless lawsuits from states, local governments, schools, and individuals who argue their platforms harm young users.
California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill told an eight-member jury that Meta’s business approach is to “capture users, keep them engaged as long as possible, harvest their data, and conceal the truth from the public.” She added, “It worked especially well for kids. Meta needed young users, and it needed to reassure their parents that they are safe.”
Meta’s legal representative, Paul Schmidt, stated there’s no disagreement that some users struggle with social media, but research shows no clear cause-and-effect link between teen social media use and declines in well-being. He emphasized that Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s co-founder and CEO, is committed to improving the platforms rather than making them dangerous, asserting, “They don’t believe they’ll be successful if people don’t like their service.”
The jury will provide an advisory verdict, but US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide Meta’s legal responsibility. If found liable, Meta faces potential civil penalties and mandated changes to Facebook and Instagram. Penalties could reach as high as $1.4 trillion, nearly matching Meta’s current market value. Attorneys general have estimated the fine may be closer to $200 billion, roughly three years of the company’s after-tax profits.
The states also want Meta to implement significant platform changes: removing features like likes and infinite scrolling that encourage endless browsing, setting time limits for younger users, and enforcing stricter measures to keep children under 13 offline.
After opening statements, former Meta safety engineer Arturo Bejar took the stand as the first witness. Bejar has long criticized Meta’s safety tools and testified against the company in four previous trials. Meta attempted to block his testimony, alleging he deleted messages with former employees, but Judge Rogers rejected this motion.
Bejar described Meta’s culture as “move fast and break things,” with little focus on safety for children under 13 during initial product deployment. He indicated that platforms like Reels, Instagram’s short-form video feature, were developed without prioritizing safety.
Expected future witnesses include Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri. The trial is slated to last six weeks. Throughout Tuesday, Meta’s stock dipped, closing down 4.4% at $543.67.
Outside the courthouse, critics protested. Megan O’Neill clarified that the states’ goal isn’t to shut down Meta but to address its exploitation of children—researching brain responses, tracking app interactions, and prioritizing engagement metrics like “teen time spent.” She highlighted an internal email to Mosseri stating “teen time spent” was a primary goal, with Meta employees referring to Instagram as a “drug” and themselves as “pushers.” She added, “Meta finds it more profitable if children start using their apps at a younger age.”
Schmidt acknowledged that private conversations might include “loose language,” but maintained Meta’s products are not addictive. He pointed to internal efforts to make Instagram safer, countering allegations.
Critics, including Mary Rodee, who lost her 15-year-old son, Riley Basford, to suicide after being victimized on Facebook, voiced their frustrations. She described her son’s death as a “predictable outcome” of a system prioritizing corporate profits over children’s safety.
The lawsuit was initiated in 2023 after whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before Congress that Meta was aware of its platforms’ dangers to children but chose profit over safety. Earlier this year, a jury in Los Angeles ordered Meta and Google to pay $6 million to a woman who became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a teen. Additionally, a New Mexico judge mandated Meta pay $567 million to address teen mental health concerns, labeling its platforms a public nuisance. Tennessee’s attorney general also filed suit, focusing on Instagram, in a trial ongoing in Nashville.