META TRIAL OPENS WITH STATES CLAIMING CHILDREN WERE HOOKED FOR PROFIT

Developing story: Testimony, advisory-jury findings, court rulings and settlement discussions may change the case’s consequences for Meta and the wider social-media industry.

Meta Platforms rejected accusations that it intentionally sought to addict children to Facebook and Instagram as a landmark federal trial opened in Oakland, California, over youth social media harms. Reuters reported that a bipartisan group of 29 states is seeking large penalties and changes to how Meta designs and operates some of the world’s most influential social platforms.

The lead states — California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey — accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to hook young users, fueling anxiety, depression and even suicide, and misleading the public about safety. The broader group of 29 states also alleges Meta improperly collected and used children’s personal data in violation of federal law.

California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill told the advisory jury that Meta’s business model was to hook users, hold them, harvest their data and hide the truth from the public, according to Reuters. She said the model worked especially well on children. Meta’s lawyer, Paul Schmidt, said the company strongly disputes the claims and that research does not show a clear causal link between adolescent social media use and poor well-being.

The case is one of the biggest legal tests yet of whether social-media product design can create liability for youth harm. If U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers finds Meta liable, she could impose civil penalties and order changes to Facebook and Instagram, including limits on design features used to drive engagement.

The possible financial exposure is large, though contested. Reuters reported that Meta has said penalties could be as high as $1.4 trillion, while attorneys general have suggested the amount may be closer to $200 billion. The states are also seeking changes such as limits on likes, infinite scroll, time spent by younger users and under-13 access.

Former Meta safety engineer Arturo Bejar began testifying as the states’ first witness after opening arguments. Reuters reported that Bejar told jurors Meta took a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach to monitoring whether children under 13 were online and that safety was not a consideration in the initial deployment of some products, including Reels.

Parents and advocates gathered outside the courthouse as the trial began. The Associated Press reported that families displayed a banner carrying nearly 600 names of children and young adults whom advocates say died from social-media-related harms, including suicide after cyberbullying or sextortion. Their presence underscored the public pressure behind the case, even though the lawsuit focuses on broad design and safety claims rather than individual incidents.

What is confirmed is that the 29-state trial has opened, Meta denies wrongdoing, and the states are seeking penalties and design changes. What remains unresolved is whether the plaintiffs can prove Meta misled users, violated child-data laws or designed products in a legally actionable way that harmed young users.

Fact-check date: August 19, 2026. Article type: News. Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Developing note: Testimony, advisory-jury findings, court rulings and settlement discussions may change the case’s consequences for Meta and the wider social-media industry.