What the social media addiction lawsuit could cost Meta

What the report says

Meta is on trial in US federal court in a case brought by 29 state attorneys general, who allege that Facebook and Instagram were designed to keep young users engaged through endless scrolling and other features that could promote addictive behaviour. The states also say the company gathered data on minors. According to Al Jazeera, opening statements began on Tuesday and the proceedings are expected to run for up to six weeks.

The potential consequences are substantial. The states are seeking $200bn in damages, while Meta has said overall penalties could theoretically reach as high as $1.4 trillion. Beyond money, the lawsuit asks the court to force changes to how the platforms operate, including removing infinite scroll, limiting the use of algorithms and AI models built from data collected on minors, and adding stronger protections and time limits for younger users.

Meta denies the allegations and says it already provides teen safety tools, such as time-use reminders and controls over ads. But the company also told investors in SEC filings that defending lawsuits is costly and that its financial results depend heavily on user growth and engagement, which support ad impressions on Facebook and Instagram.

Why the case matters: it could become a major test of whether regulators can push large social media platforms to change core product features, not just pay fines. Al Jazeera also noted that Meta faces many other lawsuits, and legal experts quoted in the report said the outcome could influence future cases against other platforms.