Meta trial begins over youth mental health harms and illegal child data collection
A federal trial began in Oakland, California on August 12, 2026, with four U.S. states claiming Meta designed Instagram and Facebook to addict youth and routinely collected data on children under 13 without parental consent. The case is one of multiple lawsuits against Meta alleging it prioritized profit over child safety and failed to disclose mental health harms.
What happened
Jury selection began on August 12, 2026, in federal court in Oakland, California for Meta's trial over claims that its platforms harmed youth mental health and tracked children illegally. The lawsuit, filed in 2023, was brought by four states: California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, representing a larger multidistrict litigation involving 29 states.
The complaint alleges that Meta routinely collected data on children under 13 without their parents' consent in violation of federal law. The complaint states: 'Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens' and 'has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.'
Reported impact
The states allege that Meta's platforms are designed to be addictive and have caused mental health crises among youth and teenagers. California's Attorney General stated that 'Meta stellt Profit über die Sicherheit von Kindern' (Meta puts profit over child safety) and that the company has violated consumer protection laws.
The complaint alleges that Meta concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms and knowingly harmed children's mental health. A related New Mexico case resulted in Meta being ordered to pay $567 million in the second phase of proceedings, plus $375 million in civil penalties from an earlier phase.
Index analysis
The allegation involves manipulation through features like 'Likes' that are claimed to encourage excessive and problematic use. Psychiatry researcher Elias Aboujaoude stated that such features 'can lead to unhealthy, excessive, problematic use, because it only comes down to the number of Likes you get.'
Meta argued that social media addiction is not a recognized medical diagnosis and that the company took measures to protect youth. However, researchers have noted that while a formal diagnosis may not exist, there is research pointing to warning signs of addictive behaviors.
Governance controls
Meta stated that it has made efforts regarding youth protection, though the states contend these efforts were insufficient. The complaint alleges that Meta failed to implement adequate safeguards for children despite knowledge of harms related to its platforms.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.