Meta to face Oakland trial August 18 over state claims seeking up to $1.4 trillion
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Meta will appear in federal court in Oakland, California on August 18 in a trial over claims by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey that it designed addictive features and violated child privacy law. The four states will ask Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to find Meta violated state consumer protection laws and COPPA, and Meta said the states are seeking penalties as high as $1.4 trillion. The case proceeds even as Meta faces thousands of other lawsuits over teen safety and has already lost jury trials in Los Angeles and New Mexico.
Key Facts
- Meta said in a court filing that California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are seeking penalties as high as $1.4 trillion.
- Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has indicated that the $1.4 trillion figure is "unreasonable" and also rejected Meta's proposed $4 million estimate, according to Law360.
- The four plaintiff states accuse Meta of violating state consumer protection laws and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data on under-13 users without permission.
- Meta spent $2.4 billion on legal costs in the second quarter of 2026 and faces thousands of other lawsuits over harms from its apps.
- Juries in Los Angeles and New Mexico have already ruled against Meta in trials dealing with similar issues; Meta said it will appeal both.
The Oakland Trial
The trial opens Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, after Meta lost a last-ditch attempt to dismiss the case last week. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will hear claims from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey that Meta violated state consumer protection laws by intentionally misleading the public about safety. The same four states, along with 25 others, also accuse Meta of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data on users under 13 without permission. The case stems from a 2023 lawsuit filed after a multi-state investigation that officials said revealed serious harms to children and teens.
Potential Penalties
Meta said in a court filing ahead of the trial that the four states are seeking penalties as high as $1.4 trillion, an amount it called "outlandish". Judge Rogers has already indicated that the $1.4 trillion figure is "unreasonable," according to remarks reported by Law360. The judge also took issue with Meta's proposed estimate of $4 million. Meta reported $2.4 billion in legal costs in the second quarter of 2026 alone. The company faces other lawsuits that accuse it of harming users, with juries in Los Angeles and New Mexico already ruling against it.
Other Lawsuits
Meta faces thousands of other lawsuits over user safety and teen mental health. Juries in Los Angeles and New Mexico have already ruled against Meta in trials dealing with similar issues; Meta said it will appeal both. The plaintiff states have not publicly disclosed how much they plan to seek in damages. Meta argues the states' claims are unproven and the proposed penalties were calculated incorrectly.
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Meta to face Oakland trial August 18 over state claims seeking up to $1.4 trillion
