Meta faces trial from 29 states that could reshape Instagram and Facebook

Twenty-nine US states just hauled Meta into federal court in Oakland, California, arguing that Instagram and Facebook were engineered to hook kids and harm their mental health. The trial, expected to run about seven weeks, could force fundamental changes to how two of the world’s largest social platforms operate.

The potential price tag for Meta? States initially floated damages as high as $1.4 trillion, though more recent discussions among attorneys general have centered around $200 billion.

What the states are actually arguing

The lawsuit, led by attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, rests on a core claim: Meta knew its platforms were damaging young users and chose profits over safety. The states allege the company deliberately designed addictive features, misled the public about platform safety, and improperly collected children’s data in violation of federal law.

The states want specific remedies that would fundamentally alter the Instagram and Facebook experience. They’re pushing to eliminate infinite scroll, remove like counts, impose stricter age restrictions, and strip out algorithms trained on children’s data.

The case traces back to a multistate investigation launched in 2023, heavily influenced by former Meta employee Frances Haugen. Her testimony revealed internal research showing the company understood the harmful effects its platforms had on young users, particularly teenage girls struggling with body image issues on Instagram.

Zuckerberg takes the stand

The trial will feature testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri. An advisory eight-person jury has been seated for the proceedings, though US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will make the final ruling.

Meta has firmly denied the allegations, maintaining that it has implemented robust child safety measures across its platforms. The company argues there is insufficient evidence linking its platform design to the mental health harms alleged by the states.

A New Mexico court has already ordered the company to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for related issues. Thousands of parallel lawsuits against Meta and other social media platforms have been centralized before the same judge in Oakland.

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