Meta, 29 states head to court in biggest test yet of youth social media litigation

Meta Platforms will face a multi-state lawsuit in a California federal court trial beginning on August 14, as 29 states bring allegations against the company in a landmark case. The trial is expected to last seven weeks, with jury selection on the first day, and opening statements set to begin on August 18. The case, centered in Oakland, is the biggest test yet of youth social media litigation and could expose Meta to massive damages and force sweeping platform changes.

Allegations include claims that Meta engineered Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children, mislead consumers about safety, and illegally collected and used minors' data. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are expected to testify. The trial, stemming from a 2023 multistate investigation into Instagram and Facebook's impact on young users, follows whistleblower Frances Haugen's disclosures about the company's knowledge of potential harm to young users.

The states are asking the judge to issue an order forcing Meta to implement age restrictions, eliminate infinite scroll, and make other changes to its platforms.