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Meta Goes to Trial Over Instagram and Facebook's Effects on Kids, With Up To $1.4 Trillion at Stake

A coalition of roughly 30 states says Meta engineered its apps to be addictive to children; opening statements began August 18 in a California federal court.

By THRYV Tech Desk·Published August 19, 2026·Updated August 19, 2026·4 min read
Meta Goes to Trial Over Instagram and Facebook's Effects on Kids, With Up To $1.4 Trillion at Stake
Tech · Illustration commissioned for THRYV. Photography is replaced with original imagery as each story is produced.

The takeaway

Meta's trial over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were engineered to be addictive to children began August 18 in an Oakland federal court, kicking off a case expected to run seven weeks. States are seeking damages and platform changes; Meta itself has floated a worst-case damages figure near $1.4 trillion, close to its full market value, while disputing the states' claims.

Meta's biggest legal test yet over how it built Facebook and Instagram for young users began August 18, as jury selection and opening statements got underway in federal court in Oakland, California. The trial is expected to last about seven weeks.

What the states allege

A coalition led by Colorado, Kentucky, California, and New Jersey, joined by roughly 30 states in total, alleges Meta engineered Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and misled the public about the platforms' safety. The states also claim Meta unlawfully collected and used minors' data in violation of federal law.

What's on the table

  • Financial damages, though the attorneys general have not publicly disclosed the specific amount they are seeking
  • Court-ordered changes to the platforms, including age restrictions, elimination of infinite scroll, and changes to recommendation algorithms

Meta has said potential damages under the states' theories could reach as high as $1.4 trillion — close to the company's roughly $1.5 trillion market capitalization — though that figure comes from Meta's own framing of the states' claims, not a confirmed damages request.

Meta's defense

Meta strongly disagrees with the allegations and is confident the evidence will show its longstanding commitment to supporting young people.
Meta spokesperson

Meta has also argued that "social media addiction" is not a recognized psychiatric condition, challenging a core premise of the states' consumer-deception claims. This case follows years of state and federal scrutiny of social platforms and minors, including an earlier wave of lawsuits filed by more than 40 states in 2023.

Why it matters

An outcome against Meta could force real changes to how Instagram and Facebook are designed for teenage users, from default privacy settings to how content is recommended — changes that, if ordered, could eventually reshape other social platforms as well.

Brands mentioned

Sources

This article is original writing by THRYV. We link to primary reporting and official documents rather than reproducing them.

  1. Meta, 29 states head to court in biggest test yet of youth social media litigation — Reuters

Why you can trust this article

Written and edited in-house by the THRYV Tech Desk. We do not republish or reword agency copy, and we do not invent quotes, statistics, testimonials or ratings. Where figures move frequently, we point you to the primary release rather than printing a number that will be out of date. Advertising and affiliate partnerships have no influence on our reporting — see our editorial standards, fact-checking policy and affiliate disclosure. Spotted an error? Write to newsroom@thryv-news.com.

General information only. Not personalised financial, medical or legal advice.

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