Meta is defending itself in a federal civil trial in Oakland, California, where 29 state attorneys general allege the company violated federal children’s privacy law and deceived consumers about how its apps operate. The trial, underway in August 2026 at the US District Court for the Northern District of California, centers on Facebook and Instagram.
The plaintiffs — led by attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey — claim Meta improperly collected personal data from children under 13 without parental consent, violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). They also allege Meta made deceptive statements about its platforms that were likely to mislead consumers.
In opening arguments, California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill told the jury that Meta deliberately engineered its apps to keep users engaged, saying the trial would show “how many features work both individually and together to keep people in the apps” and that Meta used those features to draw in children and keep them returning.
Meta’s lead attorney Paul Schmidt countered by highlighting dozens of safety features built into the company’s apps over recent years and acknowledged that some teens “struggle to manage their time” on social media. Meta maintains it satisfied COPPA requirements and denies its statements were deceptive. The company is also asserting protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally shields platforms from liability for user-posted content.
A key witness, former Meta employee Arturo Bejar, testified that CEO Mark Zuckerberg did not prioritize youth safety, describing a company culture where new growth-oriented features could be tested freely while screening products for potential harms was “near impossible.”
The trial follows a string of recent legal setbacks for Meta. Earlier in 2026, a California jury found Meta and YouTube liable for harming a young user through app design features. Meta was also ordered to pay more than $940 million in New Mexico over psychological harm to children. The current federal case, brought by nearly three dozen states, could force significant changes to core features of Facebook and Instagram.
Source: WIRED