Social media on trial as $200bn case against Facebook and Instagram begins
A major legal trial has commenced in Oakland, California, where 29 US states are suing Meta for allegedly designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children. The case seeks $200 billion in damages, drawing parallels to historical litigation against the tobacco industry.
Why it matters
This trial represents a significant escalation in the legal accountability of social media companies regarding their impact on public health and youth mental well-being.
Online safety campaigners in Oakland, California on Tuesday. Online safety campaigners in Oakland, California on Tuesday. Meta Social media on trial as $200bn case against Facebook and Instagram begins Twenty-nine US states are seeking huge damages, claiming Meta’s platforms were addictive by design
Aisha Down Tue 18 Aug 2026 14.27 EDT Last modified on Wed 19 Aug 2026 00.13 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google In 1994, more than 40 US states came together to sue one of the most powerful industries on Earth: big tobacco.
The suits brought together diverse claims centred on tobacco companies’ misleading advertising and contribution to a mounting public health crisis. They ended in a negotiated settlement with the US government, in which the companies agreed to pay more than any industry ever, and the states agreed to drop a large portion of their claims.
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