Meta's federal trial begins over child social media addiction claims
Updated on: August 18, 2026 / 8:46 PM EDT / CBS/AP
TL;DR
- States are suing Meta Platforms in a federal trial, seeking billions in damages for alleged harms to children on Facebook and Instagram.
- The lawsuit accuses Meta of designing addictive features that contribute to the youth mental health crisis and violating federal law by collecting data on children under 13 without consent.
- Attorneys general argue Meta exploited research on child development, including vulnerabilities related to reward-seeking and impulse control, to addict young users.
- Meta denies the allegations, stating that its research supports its safety efforts and disputing claims of addiction and harm to adolescents.
- The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks and may include testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
- This case is part of a broader trend of lawsuits challenging social media companies over child safety, data collection, and addictive design.