Ahead of Opening Statements, Attorney General Bonta Lays Out Case Against Meta over Its Role in Fueling Mental Health Crisis in a Generation of Children

Meta designed a dangerous product for young users, knew it to be dangerous, and lied about how dangerous it was 

The attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey are litigating this trial

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement ahead of the start of California’s trial against Meta in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The lawsuit, filed in 2023, alleges that Meta, among other things, designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that drive excessive use by children and teens to their mental and physical detriment, all the while misleading users, their families, and the public regarding the existence and severity of these risks.

“Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to keep kids on the platforms longer and longer — to the point of physical and mental harm. Exploiting our most vulnerable residents to boost corporate profits is not only morally wrong, it’s also illegal,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Alongside my colleagues from Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, and with support from states across the country, we head into trial ready to hold Meta accountable. As the home of great innovators and Silicon Valley, California has a particular opportunity and obligation to be a catalyst for change."

“Nearly three years ago, we took action because we believed Meta was putting profits ahead of the health and safety of our kids. Now we are ready to present the evidence and make our case,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. “Meta knew its platforms could harm young people, yet continued practices designed to keep them hooked — sacrificing sleep, being distracted in school, and even considering suicide — because more time online meant more money for Meta. At a time when young people are facing a serious mental health crisis, that is unacceptable. Powerful technology companies must follow the law, and when they don’t, we will hold them accountable.”

“This week, we’re in court with the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history. We’ll show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. “AGs are in the perfect position to get this done. We did it with the Tobacco Settlement in the 1990s. We did it with the companies behind the opioid crisis. We’ll do it again with Meta.”

“New Jersey has co-led the nationwide investigation of Meta since 2021, spending thousands of hours investigating Meta’s unlawful conduct. As we look forward to proving at trial, Meta has endangered the mental health of an entire generation of kids, with addictive features it knew would have these horrific effects,” said New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. “I cannot stress strongly enough how proud I am of the attorneys on our team and from around the country who are working round-the-clock to hold Meta accountable.”

Excessive time spent online is associated with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, susceptibility to addiction, and interference with daily life — including learning. Additional time that young people spend online is associated with an increased severity in symptoms of depression. Increasing evidence shows that these companies are and have been aware of the adverse mental health consequences imposed on underage users.

The lawsuit alleges Meta illegally collected and used the data of children under the age of 13 who used its platforms, made decisions in designing its platforms that drove excessive use and put young users at risk, and that it lied to users, their families, and the public about the safety of Facebook and Instagram. In doing so, it violated federal and state laws, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, California's False Advertising Law, and California’s Unfair Competition Law. Attorney General Bonta and the coalition have secured decision after decision denying Meta's attempt to avoid accountability for their illegal actions: In 2024, he successfully blocked an attempt by Meta to dismiss the coalition’s lawsuit. In June 2026, a court fully denied Meta’s attempt to obtain summary judgment that would have terminated this lawsuit. And just last week, a court dismissed Meta’s appeal challenging this lawsuit based on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and denied Meta's motion to stop the trial. 

Trial begins tomorrow, August 18, in Oakland, California. In litigating this trial, Attorney General Bonta will be joined by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, and attorneys general from across the multistate coalition.