Meta faces a jury trial starting on Tuesday after a fresh wave of court defeats tied to claims that its platforms have harmed and targeted young users, with the dispute now threatening major changes to how Instagram and Facebook operate for children and teenagers.

The case follows a lawsuit filed in 2023 by 30 US states, including California and New York. The states argue Meta violated federal and state privacy laws involving children, and they are seeking more than $1tn in damages.

Beyond financial penalties, the states are asking the court to order Meta to alter key features on Instagram and Facebook. If the claims succeed, the remedies sought could significantly reshape what young people see and how they interact with the platforms.

Requested Changes For Instagram And Facebook Users

In its filing, the group of states asks Meta to make several adjustments aimed at teen and child users, including introducing a parental verification process for teenage accounts.

The states also want Meta to change elements they describe as manipulation of users’ incentives, including recommendation systems designed to influence engagement. They are seeking the removal of many image filters that alter a person’s appearance, and an end to the autoplay of video content.

The remedies sought also include restrictions on account behaviour, such as prohibiting the creation of multiple accounts. The states further want Meta to stop disappearing, or “ephemeral”, posts—such as Instagram Stories—from being available in their current form.

These features are central to the platforms’ current design, the states say, and they are intended to keep users—including teenagers and children—on the services for longer periods.

They add that Meta uses frequent notifications that they say are meant to bring young users back to the apps. In the states’ view, those tactics make it harder for minors to reduce or stop using the platforms.

Court Action In A Wider Legal Push

The states argue that by targeting child users, Meta “chose to exploit” young people in order to build its user base and expand its business. Meta’s market value is about $1.5tn, according to figures cited in the case.

Meta denies the allegations. A company spokeswoman said it strongly disagreed with the claims and was confident the evidence would show its commitment to supporting young people.

The trial will be heard by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, a federal judge in California. She previously presided over the high-profile court case involving Elon Musk and Sam Altman and has developed a reputation for being direct from the bench over nearly 20 years.

The current trial comes after a prior ruling in New Mexico in which a federal judge fined Meta a combined $942m and ordered changes on similar themes.

Earlier Ruling Points To A Potential Model

In that case, Judge Bryan Biedscheid ordered Meta to eliminate like counts on Instagram and Facebook for users under 18. He also required a ban on teenagers sending or receiving nudity through the platforms, and limited push notifications to certain hours of the day.

Biedscheid also declared Meta a “public nuisance”, comparing the harm to that caused by a factory polluting air people breathe, with effects that extend beyond individuals.

While the New Mexico order applies only there, the 30-state lawsuit would likely have broader impact if it results in comparable findings. The states involved represent nearly two-thirds of the US population.

Supporters and critics have focused particular attention on engagement tools such as “like” counts. Likes have been part of Meta’s platforms since the early days of Facebook and remain a common way users react to posts.

However, researchers and some claim-making in court has linked like-based engagement to negative outcomes for young people, including feelings of rejection and depression.

In testimony earlier this year, Kaley, who won a separate lawsuit against Meta, described creating dozens of accounts on YouTube and Instagram to generate likes on her own posts. She said she was nine at the time and later remembered feeling depressed, which she was diagnosed with at 10.

The states’ case points to Meta’s own internal research. It cites findings that like counts can drive “social comparison”—measuring one’s self-worth against others’ images—linked to increased loneliness, worse body image and negative mood, according to the company’s documents.

If Judge Gonzalez Rogers rules for the plaintiffs, the court could reinforce a growing legal argument that the platforms’ design choices contribute to a youth mental health crisis.

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17 August 2026

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I have students who "friend" me on Facebook. I look at their profiles and their registered birthdays make them 20 years old or older when I fully know they are 10 to 12 years old. This really needs to get fixed.

From what I understand, this is going to be a "Big Tobacco" moment. FB has been documented meddling where they shouldn't in order to anger people as it is profitable, creating real harm particularly to young people.

I detest social media with a passion. The multitude of negatives by far outweigh the positives.

In the 1990's I naively thought the village only had one idiot. It turned out they're everywhere.

Should be rid of tik tok too and onlyfans should remove viewer subscriptions.