Opening statements kicked off Tuesday in a landmark federal trial as Meta faces allegations that its social media platforms are designed to addict young users, leading to widespread mental health harms.
At the federal courthouse in Oakland, California, attorneys for 29 U.S. states argued Meta's apps - Facebook and Instagram - use features like infinite scroll and push notifications to keep teens hooked, even collecting data from children under 13. The states are seeking up to 200 billion U.S. dollars in damages.
Meta counters that such penalties could reach 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars and argued that they have already proactively implemented teen protections and disabled more than a million accounts for users under 13.
This case comes on the heels of Meta losing similar court cases in both Los Angeles and New Mexico in March. Widely regarded as the tech industry's "Big Tobacco" moment, the case carries not only staggering financial exposure but also the potential to force a seismic shift in how digital platforms engage with underage audiences.
In front of the courthouse, supporters of the plaintiffs turned out to share the devastating stories at the heart of the case.
In February 2025, Shannon Heacock rushed to her laundry room to find her 16-year-old son, Elijah, dying. Heacock said her son was the victim of sextortion from an adult predator who learned everything about him through his social media profiles.
"I went into panic mode, digging blood out of my son's mouth, begging him to breathe. I watched him lose his battle. I left the room so his twin and his baby brother would never have to see what I saw. But sadly, they did," said Heacock.
Speaking to a reporter, she added, "Our kids are at a war that we're not invited to."
The group of mothers and demonstrators unfurled a banner bearing the names of 369 teen victims outside the courthouse, noting that since Meta's state court losses in March, 39 more names have been added to the list.
"I hold Emmy in my heart every single second of every single day. I fight for her. I fight for my daughter Kaylie, who is now raising my grandson Kai, without the aunt that he deserved. And I fight for every family that has been shattered by Meta. Those who choose profits over people," said another mother, Erin Popolo, who lost her daughter Emmy.
"We need to bring it back to what it was intended for - for people to socially connect digitally. Because kids aren't. They're using these products as a crutch really to get through life. They don't even know how to connect. They don't know how to look someone in the eye when they're speaking to them. It is really impeding them and their growth going forward," Popolo said.
Young people whose childhoods were shaped by their social media experiences also spoke.
"The company inside that courthouse reduced my childhood into watch time and sold it to advertisers, one in which people who understood my brain better than I did, knowingly and deliberately pulled me out of the real world and stunted my growth," said Dawson Kelly, student activist.
The trial is expected to last up to eight weeks, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg scheduled to testify.
Opening arguments begin in Meta's federal trial over teen social media addiction
