Twenty-nine US state attorneys general are taking Meta to court, alleging its platforms harm young users and violate laws protecting children online.
A landmark trial involving Meta is examining allegations that its Facebook and Instagram platforms were designed to keep young users engaged while the company downplayed concerns about their safety.
The case centres on claims that Meta misled the public about risks associated with its platforms and violated federal and state laws intended to protect children online.
At the heart of the proceedings is a dispute over whether the states should pursue their claims collectively or through separate trials.
The states argued that a single proceeding would allow jurors to examine Meta’s nationwide policies and decisions affecting young users, while enabling them to combine resources, expertise and evidence.
Meta, however, argued that separate trials were necessary because the states are relying on different consumer protection laws. The company said combining the claims could make it difficult for jurors to distinguish between the allegations and the legal requirements in each state.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ultimately approved a compromise. Colorado, California, Kentucky and New Jersey will present their state-level claims together, while federal privacy claims brought by the wider group of states will also be considered during the multi-week proceedings.
Judge Rogers will make the final decision in the case, while an advisory jury has been appointed to hear the evidence and provide findings that could assist her ruling.
The case could have significant consequences for Meta, potentially affecting how Facebook and Instagram operate and exposing the company to substantial financial penalties.
Meta has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the claims lack merit and that it has taken steps to protect teenagers who use its platforms.
The company has also argued that the states have not demonstrated that users in their respective jurisdictions were misled. Meta accused the attorneys general of seeking an excessive financial settlement rather than focusing on the facts and applicable law.
The states, meanwhile, allege that Meta deliberately developed features intended to keep young people engaged on its platforms while publicly presenting the services as safe.
Many of the states are also pursuing claims under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, alleging that Meta collected personal information from young users without obtaining the required parental consent.
Legal experts say the states’ decision to work collectively could strengthen their position against Meta by allowing them to combine resources, expertise and evidence.
State attorneys general have previously joined forces in major cases involving tobacco companies and firms linked to the opioid crisis.
Prentiss Cox, a former assistant attorney general in Minnesota and now a law professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, said presenting the case collectively could demonstrate that officials across political divides share concerns about the impact of social media on young people.
The lawsuit was filed in 2023 following a multistate investigation into the effects of Instagram and Facebook on young users.
The trial could ultimately set an important precedent for how social media companies are held accountable for the design and operation of platforms used by children and teenagers.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman described the proceedings as the largest consumer protection lawsuit in US history, pointing to previous multistate actions against tobacco companies and opioid-related firms as examples of what state attorneys general can achieve through collective action.
