# Meta faces 29-state federal trial over youth-harm allegations

_Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 8:21 AM EDT · Products · Latest · Tier 1 — Major_

Meta faces a federal trial brought by 29 states over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to addict young users and that the company improperly collected children's data, according to Bloomberg.

The report says the case could expose Meta to substantial penalties and potentially court-ordered changes to how its platforms operate. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the states are seeking financial penalties and product changes. Meta denies the allegations and says it has worked to make its platforms safer for young people.

## Sources

- [Bloomberg Technology](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2026-08-16/meta-faces-landmark-trial-over-youth-harm-claims-video)

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Retrieved: 2026-08-16T18:57:01.330Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)