Meta Faces $200 Billion Trial Over Child Safety Claims
Meta has entered a landmark US trial over allegations that Facebook and Instagram deliberately used addictive design features to keep children and teenagers engaged, potentially exposing the technology giant to nearly $200 billion in damages and significant changes to its platforms.
The six-week trial began on 18 August 2026 in the US District Court in Oakland, California. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are representing a wider coalition of states that sued Meta in 2023 following a multistate investigation into the impact of social media on young users.
At the centre of the case, the states allege that Meta knowingly designed features such as infinite scroll, algorithm-driven feeds and other ‘dark patterns’ to encourage prolonged use among children. They also accuse the company of prioritising user engagement and profits over young people’s safety and mental wellbeing.
A related claim involving 25 other states alleges that Meta violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal information from children under 13 without appropriate parental consent.
The financial stakes have attracted significant attention. Meta previously said the states could seek more than $1.4 trillion in penalties, a figure that would approach the company’s entire market value. However, lawyers representing the states clarified before the trial that they are seeking approximately $200 billion, alongside structural changes to Facebook and Instagram.
If the states prevail, they could seek measures including stronger privacy safeguards for minors, age-related restrictions and changes to platform features considered addictive. Such remedies could have implications beyond Meta and influence how other social media companies design products for younger users.
Meta has strongly denied the allegations and argues that the states’ claims lack sufficient basis. The company has also challenged the characterisation of social media addiction as a recognised psychiatric diagnosis. Its lawyers have sought to limit testimony from several witnesses and experts expected to discuss the company’s safety practices and dark patterns.
Former Meta employee and whistleblower Arturo Bejar is among the key witnesses. Meta recently attempted to prevent him from testifying, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected the request, allowing the states to present his evidence. Bejar has previously testified against Meta in other litigation concerning youth safety.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are also expected to appear as witnesses. The court has additionally heard arguments concerning expert testimony on platform design and its effects on young users.
Legal experts have compared the case with the historic 1998 tobacco settlement, in which US states secured financial penalties and restrictions after accusing tobacco companies of concealing the health risks associated with their products.
The trial could become a significant test of corporate responsibility in the social media industry. A ruling against Meta could also encourage thousands of other lawsuits involving similar allegations. Whatever the outcome, the case is likely to face appeals, potentially taking the dispute to higher courts.
The trial is expected to continue for around six weeks, with a verdict potentially arriving by early October 2026.