Opening statements begin Tuesday in California in a major multistate jury trial accusing Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, of designing addictive platforms that harm young people. The case could reportedly expose Meta to $1.4 trillion in damages if the states prevail.
Twenty-nine US states accuse Meta of encouraging addictive behaviour, failing to verify users’ ages, weakening parental controls and inadequately protecting children from harmful content. Meta denies the allegations. The states are also seeking changes to the platforms, not only financial damages.
What the US states are asking for
California, Kentucky, Colorado and New Jersey filed the federal case in 2023 and will begin presenting their arguments first. The states say features including continuous scrolling and algorithmic prompts can encourage compulsive use and harm younger children. They also allege that data about younger users is collected without consent from their guardians.
The requested remedies include parental verification for teenage users, changes to what the states call “dopamine-manipulating” algorithms, removal of image filters from personal images, a ban on multiple accounts and an end to disappearing messages and posts. Meta rejects the claims.
Related coverage: How a landmark court case proved Meta and Google built addictive social media platforms.
How the trial will proceed
Jury selection was completed last week. The trial is expected to last about seven weeks, although unforeseen developments could extend it. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the head of Instagram are expected to testify.
A verdict may not end the dispute: Meta is expected to appeal any decision against it. Another 14 US states are scheduled to begin a separate trial against Meta in February 2027. Earlier this year, Zuckerberg testified in a Los Angeles case over similar allegations; in March, Meta lost that multimillion-dollar case brought by a young woman identified as KGM.
Why the case matters beyond California
The California proceedings are part of a wider legal and regulatory challenge. In the European Union, the European Commission has pursued cases involving child safety, addictive features under the Digital Services Act and antitrust rules for artificial intelligence on WhatsApp. It opened a formal child-safety investigation in 2024 and recently issued preliminary findings that said Meta breached the DSA and should make design changes to curb compulsive use.
More context: New Mexico judge orders Meta to pay $567m over youth harm.
Other governments are taking different approaches. The United Kingdom has announced a social-media ban for people younger than 16 from next year and is considering overnight curfews and limits on infinite scrolling. Australia imposed a ban for under-16s in December 2025, but its online-safety regulator found that more than eight in 10 young teens and preteens were still using social media, with age checks a significant problem.
Brazil faces lawsuits seeking 3 billion reais ($525m) from the Brazilian subsidiaries of Meta, TikTok and Kwai over alleged addiction safeguards, age verification and data protection failures. In Kenya, a $2.4bn case alleges that Facebook algorithms amplified hateful and inciting content during the Ethiopia war from 2020 to 2022; the High Court ruled in 2025 that it had jurisdiction, but the trial date remains unclear.
What could change for users
The source report’s cited experts expect legal action to produce targeted reforms rather than completely dismantle social media’s existing business model. Possible changes include stronger age checks, greater moderation and different treatment for users younger than 18.
Sonia Livingstone of the London School of Economics said Meta was unlikely to remake its feed entirely but would probably take steps to reduce harm. She also said continued design changes could help prevent public tolerance from falling further and restrictive bans from expanding. The 5Rights Foundation said lawsuits are most likely to change company practices when backed by clear, consistently enforced rules and penalties large enough to affect profits.
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