US states pursue landmark lawsuit against Meta over youth safety

Thirty U.S. states, including California and New York, are engaged in a significant legal battle against Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2023, accuses the tech giant of violating both federal and state laws regarding child protection and privacy. Prosecutors allege that Meta deliberately designed its platforms with addictive features—such as infinite scrolling, automatic video playback, and appearance-altering filters—to keep minors engaged for as long as possible, thereby damaging their mental health and privacy.

The states are seeking damages that could potentially exceed $1 trillion. Furthermore, they are demanding fundamental changes to how these social media platforms operate for young users, including the removal of public like counts and the restriction of addictive design elements. While Meta has faced previous legal challenges, this upcoming jury trial represents one of the most severe threats to its business model to date.

Following a series of earlier legal setbacks concerning the impact of its algorithms on youth, Meta now faces a critical juncture. The current legal proceedings are scheduled to continue with a jury trial starting on August 18, 2026, which will determine if the company must implement the requested operational overhauls.