California Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers Leads Meta Advertising Lawsuit

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who was named chief judge of the Northern District of California this month, is overseeing a multi-state lawsuit brought by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of 28 other state attorneys general. The case alleges that Meta Platforms deliberately designed features such as infinite scroll and autoplay to addict young users and collected data from children without parental consent. While the states seek civil penalties, restitution and changes to the company’s algorithms, they have not specified a monetary figure as high as the $1.4 trillion that Meta has estimated could be at stake.

The trial, which began with opening arguments on Tuesday, will feature an advisory jury whose non-binding verdict will help Judge Gonzalez Rogers gauge community standards before she issues a final ruling. Legal scholar Steven Baicker-McKee explained that an advisory jury is used when parties lack a right to a traditional jury, allowing the judge to consider public sentiment.

"The issues at play impact the daily lives of the public across the states involved," the judge wrote in a filing, adding that an advisory jury is "prudent to solicit the standard of the community."

Gonzalez Rogers, a 61-year-old jurist with a 35-year legal career that includes prior antitrust cases against Apple and a high-profile dispute between Elon Musk and Sam Altman, is known for a straightforward courtroom style. Managing partner Steve Berman of Hagens Berman described her as "a pistol" who moves swiftly when lawyers present weak arguments.

The proceeding is part of a larger multidistrict litigation that consolidates nearly 3,000 lawsuits against major social-media companies over alleged harms to children and teens. The outcome could require Meta to alter core features of Facebook and Instagram, potentially affecting the platform’s advertising model, which generates about 98 % of the company’s revenue.