Meta faces $1.4 trillion US trial over alleged ‘addictive’ Facebook, Instagram design

Meta is set to face one of its most consequential US court battles yet on Tuesday, August 18, as a landmark trial examining whether Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to encourage compulsive use among children and teenagers gets underway in California.

The case, being heard in federal court in Oakland, stems from litigation brought by a coalition of 29 US state attorneys general against Meta in 2023. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are leading the claims being tried, accusing the technology giant of deploying addictive product features while misleading users about the potential risks its platforms posed to young people.

The states also allege that Meta collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, in violation of federal children's privacy protections. Meta has denied the allegations and maintains that it has invested heavily in safeguards and tools intended to protect younger users.

The financial stakes could be enormous. Meta's lawyers have warned that penalties sought under the states' interpretation of the law could potentially reach around $1.4 trillion, although legal experts have questioned whether damages approaching that scale would ultimately be imposed. Beyond monetary penalties, the states are seeking changes to how Meta operates its platforms.

The proceedings are expected to run for several weeks and could include testimony from senior Meta executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. The case will be overseen by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, assisted by an advisory jury whose findings will not be binding on the judge.

Opening arguments are scheduled for Tuesday in California, meaning proceedings will begin late Tuesday night India time.

The proceedings could also have implications far beyond the US, particularly for India, one of Meta’s biggest and youngest markets. Meta’s advertising tools indicated Instagram alone reached more than 480 million users in India by late 2025, with its audience heavily concentrated among younger adults. Any court-ordered changes to recommendation algorithms, infinite scroll, age verification or the collection and use of younger users’ data could therefore become an important test case for how similar safeguards are eventually implemented in markets such as India.

exchange4media will be tracking the case closely. Look out for a detailed e4mXplains on Wednesday examining the case, what the states are asking for, Meta's defence, and why the outcome could have consequences far beyond an American courtroom.