OAKLAND, Calif. – A federal trial beginning this week could produce major financial penalties and changes to Facebook and Instagram if states persuade a jury that Meta Platforms unlawfully collected children’s data and designed features that harmed young users.
The 2023 lawsuit was brought by attorneys general from 29 states and alleges violations of the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and state consumer-protection laws. The first trial group includes California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. Jury selection began Aug. 12, and opening statements were scheduled for Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
The states allege Meta knowingly used design features such as engagement-driven recommendations, repeated notifications, public approval metrics and continuous feeds to keep children and teenagers on its platforms. They also contend the company collected personal information from users under 13 without the verifiable parental consent required by federal law. Those claims are allegations to be tested at trial, not final findings.
Meta denies that it put profit ahead of safety. The company says it has listened to parents, consulted experts and law enforcement, researched youth issues and introduced safeguards for teen accounts. It is expected to argue that the states are oversimplifying complex questions about mental health and seeking to impose liability on product design and speech protected by federal law.
In June, Gonzalez Rogers rejected Meta’s attempt to end the case before trial, finding that factual disputes must be resolved. The court also ruled that Meta had not obtained parental consent in a way sufficient to satisfy COPPA for purposes addressed in the summary-judgment decision. The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks, and appeals are likely regardless of the verdict.
The potential stakes extend beyond damages. States have sought changes that could affect age verification, parental consent, notification practices, like counts, recommendations and infinite-scroll features. Because the same platforms operate nationwide, broad court-ordered changes for a large group of states could influence the experience of users outside the trial jurisdictions.
The case is part of a larger wave of litigation involving Meta and other social-media companies. A New Mexico court recently imposed penalties and child-safety requirements on Meta in a separate case, which the company is appealing. Thousands of personal-injury and government claims have also been coordinated in federal court, but each case involves different plaintiffs, legal theories and evidence.
Sources: BBC News, The Associated Press and the California Attorney General’s Office. Original BBC report published Aug. 16, 2026.
