Technology

Meta faces federal trial over child privacy and platform design

A lawsuit by 29 state attorneys general seeks roughly $200 billion in damages, alleging violations of federal child privacy law.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 00:33 UTC1 reports

The short version

A federal civil trial began in California against Meta over allegations it violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
A coalition of 29 state attorneys general is seeking about $200 billion in damages, claiming Meta gathered data from users under 13 without parental approval.
Meta denies deception, argues it followed relevant privacy regulations, and asserts legal protection under Section 230.
An adverse ruling could force Meta to alter fundamental features on Instagram and Facebook, such as endless scrolling, engagement metrics, and age-verification systems.

The federal civil lawsuit is being heard by Chief District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the US District Court for the Northern District of California in Oakland.[Wired]
A group of 29 state attorneys general, led by officials from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, are seeking roughly $200 billion in damages from Meta.[Wired]
Plaintiffs allege that Meta violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent and misled the public about the operation of Facebook and Instagram.[Wired]
Meta maintains that it complied with federal privacy laws, denies making misleading statements, and argues it is protected under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.[Wired]
Former Meta employee Arturo Bejar testified for the plaintiffs that company leadership deprioritized youth safety in favor of growth features.[Wired]

Whether the court will find Meta liable under COPPA or rule that its platform design choices are shielded by Section 230.[Wired]
The exact scope of product redesigns or financial penalties Meta might face if the court rules in favor of the states.[Wired]