A federal trial began Tuesday in Oakland, California, to address allegations from 29 states that Meta Platforms illegally collected data from children and designed its social media platforms to be addictive. The legal proceedings focus on whether the company misled the public regarding the safety of Instagram and Facebook for young users.
The litigation originated from a 2023 lawsuit following a multistate investigation into the impact of Meta's platforms on youth. The states generally allege that Meta knowingly developed features to keep young users engaged while publicly maintaining that the services were safe, a practice they claim violates state consumer protection laws.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers implemented a hybrid trial structure for the multi-week proceedings. While the states requested a single trial for all 29 attorneys general, Meta argued for smaller trials based on similar state laws. Judge Rogers ruled that California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey will try their state law claims together alongside federal law claims brought by all participating states. An advisory jury was appointed to provide findings that may inform the judge's final decision.
For the young users and parents involved, the concrete change would be noticed in the design and privacy settings of social media apps. Specifically, the states are suing under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which requires companies to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children. A ruling against Meta would likely result in stricter age-verification processes and limits on data collection, altering the day-to-day digital experience for students and families nationwide.
The outcome of this specific trial will serve as a legal guide for how claims from the remaining states are resolved. Meta has denied the allegations, calling them unsubstantiated and stating that the attorneys general have offered no proof that residents were misled. The company argued that the states are seeking an "outlandish payout" rather than following the law. The trial is expected to last several weeks, with the advisory jury's input and the judge's final ruling determining whether Meta must pay significant financial damages or reform its product designs.