A federal judge in the United States has allowed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms to move forward, rejecting the company’s request to dismiss claims that Facebook and Instagram were designed to be addictive for children and teenagers.
The case was brought by 29 US state attorneys general. They accuse Meta of building features that encourage young users to keep scrolling, while failing to fully disclose the possible effects on children and teenagers, according to Reuters.
The ruling does not mean Meta has been found liable. It only means the case can continue in court, where some of the claims may later be tested before a jury.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who sits in Oakland, California, declined to dismiss claims involving deception, unfair business practices, and alleged breaches of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The law, known as COPPA, limits how online services can collect personal data from children under 13.
The judge said several central questions should be decided by a jury. These include whether Facebook and Instagram are addictive, whether Meta falsely denied designing them that way, and whether the platforms were partly aimed at children.
On the privacy issue, the court gave the states a partial win. It found that Meta did not meet COPPA’s requirements to notify parents and obtain their consent before collecting data from children under 13.
Meta has firmly denied the allegations. The company says it disagrees with the claims and believes the evidence will show its long record of supporting young people online. It has also argued that “social media addiction” is not a recognized medical diagnosis, and that Facebook and Instagram were built for a general audience rather than specifically for children under 13.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta welcomed the decision, calling it a “critical win” in efforts to hold Meta accountable over alleged harm to young users.
The lawsuit is part of a wider set of legal challenges facing large technology companies in the United States. Court records show that more than 2,600 individuals, school districts, and local governments have filed related claims over whether social media platforms contribute to addiction and mental health problems among young people. A separate trial involving claims from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey is scheduled for August 18, according to court records.
The family storytelling and digital safety platform 3A1Z Stories reported the case in the context of children, parenting, social media design, and online safety, noting that the dispute is not only about harmful content but about how the apps themselves are built.
Although the case is unfolding in the United States, it carries wider significance. Facebook and Instagram are used by children and teenagers around the world, and the lawsuit questions the design choices behind them. Critics point to features such as endless scrolling, autoplay, frequent notifications, likes, and recommendation systems, which they say can make it harder for young users to stop.
For now, no findings have been made against Meta. The company says it will continue to defend itself, and the case will be tested as it moves toward trial.
