Zuckerberg’s Meta Accused of Engineering A Trillion-Dollar “Addiction Machine” Targeting Kids at Landmark Trial Opening
A coalition of 29 state attorneys general (AGs) opened a landmark federal trial in Oakland on Tuesday, Aug. 18, accusing Meta Platforms of designing Facebook and Instagram to be deliberately addictive for teenagers and of lying to the public about known health risks.
California Deputy AG Megan O’Neill told the court that Meta’s business model rests on four words: “Hook the user, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data and then hide the truth,” according to Bloomberg News. The trial, which is being heard before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, could force sweeping changes to how the social media giant operates and result in damages ranging from $200 billion to as much as $1.4 trillion, according to the company’s estimates. [1]
Allegations of Intentional Design to Get Minors Addicted
O’Neill argued that Meta targeted young users specifically because they are the most profitable demographic. “The young ones are the best ones – they are the ones most likely to get hooked, they’re the ones that are most likely to make money in the long run,” she said, according to Bloomberg. The states allege that Meta violated federal law by harvesting children’s data without parental consent and that core features such as the “like button” and recommendation algorithms are intentionally addictive, fueling a teen mental health crisis of anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide. [2]
Internal Meta emails cited by O’Neill included chat logs in which employees compared Instagram to a “drug” and stated “we’re basically pushers,” according to the prosecutor. Newly unsealed court documents further allege that Meta buried internal research proving its platforms worsen depression, anxiety and loneliness in teens, while the company lied to Congress about its knowledge of those harms. [3]
“Meta found the younger a kid is when they start using the app, the better,” O’Neill said. “The more likely they are to remain a user, the more likely they are to make Meta money in the long run.” [1]
Meta’s Defense: Denial and Safety Measures Cited
Meta attorney Paul Schmidt denied the allegations in his opening statement. He argued that the company has taken steps to protect children online, including the introduction of parental oversight tools and time limits for social media use.
“You will hear over the course of this case a lot of important issues, issues like teen mental health, issues like social media, issues about how teens use social media,” Schmidt said. “Those are important issues, and they’re issues where Meta believes that it has a responsibility.”
Schmidt acknowledged that Meta employees sometimes used “loose” language internally but said the jury would hear directly about the steps the company took to make its apps safer for young users. In a pre-trial statement, Meta called the states’ claims “an outlandish payout” and asserted that the company has acted responsibly. The trial is expected to last approximately six weeks, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri both expected to testify. [1]
Potential Damages, Court Orders and Public Reaction
O’Neill said in a pre-trial hearing that $200 billion represents a more realistic damages figure, suggesting the company floated the $1.4 trillion figure for “shock value,” according to Bloomberg. The states are also seeking a court order requiring Meta to delete illegally harvested data from children under 13 and to bar the company from using “certain addictive design features” including infinite scroll and autoplay. Such an order would be an unprecedented blow to Meta, which was ordered to pay nearly $1 billion after losing a similar case in New Mexico. [4]
Critics and families of victims of online harm gathered outside the Oakland courthouse to protest. Among them was Mary Rodee, a New York resident who lost her 15-year-old son Riley to suicide in 2021 after he was targeted in a sextortion scheme on Facebook.
“They call it spontaneous suicide,” Rodee said, according to Reuters. “I call it what it was – the predictable outcome of a system that protects corporations instead of children.” [5]
Trial Timeline and Judicial Decision
The trial is expected to last approximately six weeks. A jury will hear arguments and deliver an advisory verdict, but final decisions on specific damages and potential remedies – including any changes to Meta’s platform design – rest with Rogers, an appointee of former President Barack Obama. The case could set a precedent for social media regulation and company liability for user harm, following earlier rulings in New Mexico and California state court that already found Meta liable for endangering child safety. [6]
References
- The Epoch Times. “Jury Selection Begins in Major Youth Addiction Case Against Meta.” August 12, 2026.
- Cassie B. “Meta buried anxiety and depression research as employees called themselves drug pushers lawsuit claims.” NaturalNews.com. November 25, 2025.
- NaturalNews.com. “Meta buried anxiety and depression research as employees called themselves ‘drug pushers,’ lawsuit claims.” November 25, 2025.
- The New American. “New Mexico Fines Meta $942 Million as ‘Public Nuisance’.” August 17, 2026.
- ChildrensHealthDefense.org. “Social Media Killed Her Teen Son Mother Alleg.” April 20, 2022.
- TechCrunch. “Meta was finally held accountable for harming teens. Now what?” March 31, 2026.
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