Judge Denies Meta's Bid to Dismiss Social Media Addiction Claims
A judge denied Meta's summary judgment motion in the social media addiction MDL lawsuit.
Why it matters: This ruling signals courts' readiness to hold social media companies accountable for addiction harms, influencing future litigation and corporate conduct. The lawsuit, backed by 29 state attorneys general, challenges Meta's design of Facebook and Instagram for addictive use by children.
- On June 29, 2026, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied Meta's motion for summary judgment in the addiction lawsuit involving 29 state attorneys general.
- The judge found Meta failed to comply with COPPA notice and parental consent rules, granting summary judgment to the states on this issue.
- A trial for claims brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey is set for August 18, 2026.
- Judge Gonzalez Rogers also oversees a related MDL with over 2,600 plaintiffs accusing multiple social media firms of addicting children.
On June 29, 2026, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected Meta Platforms' summary judgment request in a lawsuit filed by 29 U.S. state attorneys general alleging that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children, concealing resulting harms. The judge ruled Meta did not meet the requirements of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) related to parental consent and notice, granting summary judgment to the states on that point. Fox Business reports.
The litigation is part of a wider multidistrict lawsuit involving more than 2,600 individuals, school districts, and local governments accusing social media companies including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok of addicting children. Judge Gonzalez Rogers, who oversees this MDL, scheduled a pivotal trial to start August 18, 2026, focusing on claims brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey against Meta.
In her decision, Judge Gonzalez Rogers noted, "The AGs present a reasonable interpretation of [Meta's] statements that Facebook and Instagram are not designed in ways that cause teens to compulsively use the platforms to their detriment." This underscores the court's willingness to scrutinize Meta's design choices for these platforms.
Earlier, a Los Angeles jury awarded $6 million in damages in March 2026 to a plaintiff who alleged Meta and YouTube deliberately designed addictive platforms causing severe mental health injury. The verdict reinforced court skepticism of social media companies' defenses in addiction claims. Lanier Law Firm covered this development.
Meta maintains it strongly disagrees with the allegations and expects evidence to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to supporting young users, per its spokesperson.
By the numbers:
- 29 — number of U.S. state attorneys general involved in the lawsuit against Meta
- 2,600+ — plaintiffs including individuals, school districts, and local governments in the related multidistrict litigation
- $6 million — damages awarded by a Los Angeles jury against Meta and YouTube in a related addiction case
Yes, but: Meta asserts the allegations are unfounded and contends it supports young users, signaling a vigorous defense ahead.
What's next: The trial against Meta from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey claims will begin on August 18, 2026, potentially setting further legal precedent.