A coalition of 29 US states filed a lawsuit in 2023 accusing Meta of creating addictive features on Facebook and Instagram that harm children and teenagers [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The multistate trial opened Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, with four states—California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey—leading the effort [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The lawsuit alleges Meta collects data on children under 13 without parental consent and refuses to remove harmful features targeting young users [1, 2, 3, 5]. States accuse the company of intentionally designing features like infinite scroll, algorithmic prompts, image filters, and multiple accounts to increase addiction [3, 4, 5]. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said, "We'll show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable" [2].
Meta denies the allegations, asserting it has implemented protections for young users. A Meta spokesperson said, "Rather than sticking to the facts or the law, the states have instead decided to chase an outlandish payout... their financial demands are vastly disproportionate" [1].
The trial could last six to eight weeks, with a verdict expected by October 2026 [2, 3, 5]. Mark Zuckerberg and other Meta executives may testify during proceedings, according to some sources [2, 5].
The states seek approximately $200 billion in damages for alleged harms, while Meta estimates potential maximum financial risk at $1.4 trillion if fined per user, a figure legal experts consider unlikely [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The initial $233-page multistate lawsuit was filed in October 2023 [1, 2, 5]. Opening statements began today in the Oakland federal court [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. A verdict is expected in October 2026 [2, 3].
