Meta loses bid to dismiss US states’ claims that Facebook, Instagram addict children

Published Tue, Jun 30, 2026 · 09:24 PM

A US federal judge rejected Meta Platforms’ bid to dismiss a lawsuit by dozens of US state attorneys general accusing it of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and knowingly concealing the harm from the public.

In a decision late on Monday night (Jun 29), US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California denied Meta’s motion to dismiss claims based on deception, unfairness and violations of the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

The judge also said it was undisputed that Meta did not comply with that law’s notice and parental consent requirements, and granted summary judgment to the states on that issue.

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. REUTERS