Meta is set to face a landmark federal trial in Oakland, California, over allegations that it engineered Instagram and Facebook to encourage addictive and harmful use among children and teenagers. The trial, presided over by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, will begin with opening arguments on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, and is expected to last about seven weeks [1, 2].

Between 29 and 33 US states have filed suit against the $1.5 trillion valued tech giant. They accuse Meta of exploiting young users to grow its business by using addictive platform features such as infinite scrolling, likes, notifications, visual filters, autoplay videos, multiple accounts, and ephemeral posts [1, 3, 2]. The states demand that Meta implement parental verification systems for teenage users and make fundamental changes to features targeting youth [1, 3, 2].

The lawsuit also alleges violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), claiming Meta collected personal data from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. In June 2026, Judge Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Meta’s parental consent procedures did not meet COPPA requirements, narrowing parts of the case before trial [2].

Internal research cited in the case reportedly shows that Instagram likes and usage contribute to social comparison, loneliness, body image issues, and negative emotions among young people [3]. A New Mexico state court has already declared Meta a "public nuisance" and imposed a $942 million fine, ordering changes such as removing like counts for under-18s, banning nudity exchanges among teens, and limiting push notifications [1, 3].

Meta denies the allegations. A company spokeswoman said, "We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people." The company points to protections like Teen Accounts, age-detection tools, parental supervision features, and content restrictions as evidence of its efforts [1, 3, 2].

Opening arguments in the federal trial will start on August 18, with Judge Gonzalez Rogers overseeing the proceedings expected to unfold over seven weeks [1, 2].