Meta is on trial in federal court in Oakland, California, facing a case brought by 29 state attorneys general who allege the company violated COPPA, the federal law protecting children's online privacy, by collecting personal data from under-13s without parental consent. The AGs, led by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, also accuse Meta of making misleading statements about how Facebook and Instagram work. This trial follows a string of recent setbacks for the company, including a landmark liability verdict alongside YouTube in the spring and a $940 million (£740 million) penalty in New Mexico earlier this month over harm to children's mental health.

In opening arguments, prosecutor Megan O'Neill argued Meta deliberately designed features to hook children and keep them engaged, while Meta's lawyer Paul Schmidt pointed to safety features the company has introduced and suggested users themselves bear some responsibility for time spent on the apps. Meta denies wrongdoing and is relying partly on Section 230 protections. A key witness, former Meta employee Arturo Bejar, testified that Mark Zuckerberg did not prioritise youth safety and described a culture where growth-driving features could be tested freely while screening for harm was "near impossible"; proceedings were paused Thursday after a juror fell ill.