States Launch Landmark Trial Against Meta Over Child Harm on Social Media

A coalition of U.S. states has initiated a significant trial against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that the company deliberately designed its platforms to harm young users. The lawsuit, which began Tuesday, accuses Meta of luring minors with addictive features and collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent.

Attorneys general from over half the states are seeking substantial changes to Meta's product design to enhance child safety, alongside potential damages that could reach $200 billion, an amount equivalent to the company's 2025 annual revenue. This legal action marks an unprecedented effort to hold a major social media company accountable for the mental health impacts of its services on young people.