Four states seek $1.4 trillion in penalties against Meta over alleged child-addiction design

Four state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit seeking $1.4 trillion in penalties from Meta, alleging that the company designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and concealed related harms. The case, involving California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, is set to begin next month in Oakland, California. Meta responded that the proposed sanction, comparable to its market value, is unsupported by evidence and described it as unprecedented in consumer-protection enforcement.

The states, whose filings are sealed, indicated they calculated the penalty by multiplying the estimated number of violations—based on the count of young users—by fine amounts prescribed by state law. The lawsuit joins nearly 30 other federal actions accusing Meta of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data from minors without parental consent. The upcoming trial will address both federal claims and the states’ allegations of consumer-protection violations for allegedly misleading the public about platform safety.

Meta has denied the accusations, arguing that there is no established psychiatric condition of “social media addiction” and that the attorneys general have not shown the company misled the public. A spokesperson said the company disagrees with the allegations and is confident evidence will demonstrate its commitment to supporting young people.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers previously rejected Meta’s request to dismiss the case, noting factual disputes over whether the platforms were intentionally designed to be addictive and whether the company marketed them toward children. The lawsuit follows other state and federal actions against major social-media firms over similar claims, including a recent $375 million verdict against Meta in New Mexico.