30 States Sue Meta Over Alleged Minor Harm

A coalition of 30 U.S. states is moving toward a jury trial against Meta, alleging wide-ranging breaches of federal and state privacy laws tied to how minors are handled on Instagram and Facebook, officials said.

Officials said the case is centered on younger users’ experiences and asks the court for two broad forms of relief: financial penalties and court-ordered product changes that would alter how the platforms are designed and operated.

States seek penalties and court-ordered redesigns According to

States seek penalties and court-ordered redesigns

According to the litigation According to the litigation, the states are seeking damages of more than $1 trillion. Officials described the request as extending beyond fines or internal policy updates and into mandates that would reshape how minors encounter the services. The remedies cited in the requests include removing visible “like” counts, ending infinite scroll, and requiring parental verification for teenage users. The plaintiffs’ position, as described by officials, is that the court should impose structural design and operational requirements, not only monetary sanctions. Focus on engagement tools, algorithms, and alerts Legal experts said that if the states prevail, the decision could push a nationwide redesign of features that sit at the center of Meta’s engagement model. The lawsuit challenges product mechanics that the plaintiffs claim are intended to keep users on the services for longer periods.

Beyond the headline items, the remedies described in the case could reach deeper into day-to-day platform operations. The court could be asked to require Meta to disable algorithmic recommendation systems, curb autoplay video, and reduce push notifications.

Legal experts also said a ruling for the states could increase regulatory and legal pressure on digital engagement models by treating certain product design decisions as a potential source of liability when minors are involved.

Meta denies the claims; remedies remain uncertain The multi-state lawsuit follows a recent decision in New Mexico that described Meta’s platform operations as a “public nuisance” due to effects on youth mental health, resulting in a $942 million fine. The plaintiffs pointed to that ruling as part of the legal context for their claims.

Meta has rejected the allegations. The company has denied all claims and said its internal policies are intended to support young users.

Experts said it remains unclear which remedies a court would ultimately order and how broadly any mandates would apply across Meta’s services. Still, officials said the stakes are significant because the requested changes would affect widely used products across the U.S.