Meta, 29 states discuss settlement in teen social media trial

Meta Platforms and attorneys general from 29 U.S. states have engaged in settlement discussions amid a high-stakes federal trial in Oakland, California, over allegations that the company deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to teenagers. The talks, reported on August 25 and 26, 2026, come as the trial, which began on August 18, enters its second week. The lawsuit, led by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, accuses Meta of violating state consumer protection laws by engineering features like infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations to encourage compulsive use by young people.