This week Meta heads to federal court in Oakland, California, for another trial over social media addiction and other alleged harms caused by its apps. The case follows a 2023 lawsuit from dozens of states accusing Meta of intentionally creating addictive features and violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will hear claims from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey that Meta misled the public about app safety, while 25 other states also sue the company. The states are seeking penalties as high as $1.4 trillion, a figure Meta deems "outlandish" and has argued is unreasonable.

Meta says it spent $2.4 billion on legal costs in Q2 2026 alone and maintains that the claims are unproven. The company’s spokesperson noted that the states have no proof of misled users and that penalties would be disproportionate.

The trial, expected to last six weeks, will feature an advisory eight‑member jury and may include testimony from CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. Audio will stream live on the court’s YouTube channel.