A major legal battle over children’s safety and privacy on social media began in the United States on August 18, 2026, as Meta Platforms faced a federal trial in Oakland, California. The case involves allegations that the company deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to keep young users engaged for long periods while failing to adequately protect children’s privacy.
The lawsuit was filed in 2023 by a coalition of 29 U.S. states. The trial currently underway involves four of those states: California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. The remaining states are expected to pursue their cases separately at a later stage. The states are seeking financial damages as well as changes to the way Meta operates Facebook and Instagram.
At the center of the case are allegations that Meta intentionally developed features that encourage children and teenagers to spend excessive amounts of time on its platforms. State attorneys general have pointed to features including algorithmic recommendations, notifications and other engagement-focused elements as part of their case.
The states argue that Meta knew about potential risks to young users but continued operating its platforms in ways that prioritized engagement. They also accuse the company of misleading the public about the safety of Facebook and Instagram.
The lawsuit also includes allegations concerning children’s personal information. The states claim Meta collected and used data from children under the age of 13 without obtaining the parental consent required under federal children’s privacy law. The allegations involve the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, commonly known as COPPA.
The states are asking the court to require Meta to make changes to its platforms. The proposed measures include stronger protections for young users, improvements to age verification and restrictions on certain engagement-focused features.
The states have specifically sought changes that could affect the way Facebook and Instagram function, including measures involving age restrictions and features such as infinite scrolling. If the court orders such changes, the case could affect the design and operation of the platforms rather than resulting only in a financial penalty.
The financial stakes are also substantial. Meta has disclosed that the states could seek penalties totaling as much as $1.4 trillion under the claims involved in the litigation. Meta has argued that such a potential sanction is disproportionate and has described the figure as having no precedent in consumer-protection enforcement.
Meta has denied the claims and said it has invested significantly in protecting teenagers on its platforms. The company has pointed to safety measures and tools developed for young users and says it has worked with parents, experts and law enforcement on child-safety issues.
The company is also defending itself against a growing number of cases involving alleged harm to children and teenagers. In a separate New Mexico case, a court recently ordered Meta to pay $567 million in the second phase of proceedings concerning alleged harms to young people. That amount followed an earlier $375 million civil penalty, bringing the total to $942 million in that case. Meta has said it plans to appeal.
The Oakland trial is expected to last approximately six to eight weeks and is being overseen by the U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is among the executives expected to testify.
The case is significant because it goes beyond individual pieces of content on social media and examines how the platforms themselves are designed and how those designs affect young users.
A ruling against Meta could lead to changes in the company’s approach to age assurance, children’s privacy and engagement features. It could also influence the growing number of legal and regulatory efforts targeting social media companies over children’s online safety.
For now, the allegations remain contested, and the court has yet to determine whether Meta violated the laws cited by the states. The trial will ultimately determine whether the company must pay damages or make significant changes to Facebook and Instagram.
