{
  "id": 1689416,
  "title": "Meta faces 29-state trial that could reshape Instagram and Facebook",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/meta-faces-29-state-trial-that-could-reshape-instagram-and-facebook-1689416",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-18T10:03:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNA - Business",
    "slug": "cna-business",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/meta-faces-29-state-trial-could-reshape-instagram-and-facebook-6325701"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A group of 29 states is currently involved in a legal battle against Meta Platforms, which could alter the future of popular apps Instagram and Facebook. The trial is set to commence on August 18 at a federal court in California, and it will examine claims made by the states regarding the harmful impact on young users' mental health caused by these platforms. The states leading the bipartisan group are Colorado, California, New Jersey, and Kentucky, and they will present their opening statements before an eight-member jury in Oakland, which will advise the US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. The trial will explore allegations that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and teens, as well as the accusation that the company misled consumers about the safety of its platforms for young users. Meta has been accused of improperly collecting and using children's personal data in violation of federal law. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are expected to testify during the multi-week trial. If convicted, the potential penalties for Meta could reach up to $1.4 trillion, which is near the company's market cap of $1.5 trillion. The attorneys general are seeking an order to implement age restrictions, eliminate infinite scroll, and make other changes to Meta's platforms nationwide. The states claim the allegations are unsubstantiated, while Meta maintains that it has made significant efforts to keep kids safe online and has not made any misleading statements about safety.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}