Meta Faces Coalition of 29 States in Federal Court Over Social Media Addiction Claims

Meta Platforms began facing a coalition of 29 state attorneys general in a California federal court trial on August 12, 2026, over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were engineered to be addictive to children. The lawsuit also claims the company illegally collected and used children's data in violation of federal law. This trial is considered the most significant test yet of youth social media litigation, potentially exposing Meta to substantial damages and forcing extensive changes to its platforms.