New Jersey, leading a coalition of 41 other attorneys general, sued Meta for knowingly designing addictive Instagram and Facebook features targeting children and teens while falsely claiming the platforms were safe. The lawsuit alleges Meta collected personal data from users under 13 without parental consent, violating the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and state consumer protection laws like the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
The complaint seeks injunctive relief to stop Meta's alleged unlawful practices and monetary damages to redress harms caused to children and teens.
In-house legal teams should review customer-facing agreements (e.g., terms of service, privacy policies) and data processing agreements (e.g., with vendors or advertisers) to ensure they contain specific clauses protecting children's data. Focus on provisions requiring parental consent for users under 13, robust age verification mechanisms, data minimization for minor users, and explicit compliance with COPPA and state laws like the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. Agreements may need amendments to include mandatory safety representations for young users, restrictions on addictive feature design targeting minors, audit rights for compliance verification, and indemnification for violations. Vendor contracts should also mandate that subcontractors adhere to these child privacy standards.
Entity
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Also known as: Meta
Industry
Social MediaOfficial Press Release
https://www.njoag.gov/ag-platkin-41-other-attorneys-general-sue-meta-for-harms-to-youth-from-instagram-facebook/
2023 1024 Meta Multistate Federal Complaint (N.D. Cal.) FINA
https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases23/2023-1024_Meta-Multistate-Federal-Complaint-(N.D.-Cal.)-FINAL-REDACTED.pdf
1519847869591
https://njoag.app.box.com/s/tesznr0himfxy0fbhifg19znt9eg9hdk/file/1519847869591
New Jersey Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-consumer-affairs/
"sued Meta"
"knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and Facebook to purposefully addict children and teens"
"knowingly collected data from these users without the parental consent that is required by federal law"
"Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)"
"New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (CFA)"
$17.1B
Attorney General James and a bipartisan coalition of 50 other attorneys general secured a landmark settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta) worth up to $17.1 billion to address the company's harmful and addictive features targeting minors on Facebook and Instagram. The settlement requires Meta to implement significant changes, including age verification, time limits for minors, restrictions on notifications, and options to opt out of algorithmic feeds, along with monetary payments to states for mental health and education programs.
$17.0B
Meta Platforms, Inc. agreed to a landmark $17 billion multistate settlement resolving claims that it intentionally designed addictive features on Facebook and Instagram that harmed youth mental health, and misled the public about platform safety. Virginia will receive a guaranteed $353 million, and Meta must implement extensive child-safety measures including daily time limits, age verification, and content restrictions.
$1.0B
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a historic settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc. requiring Meta to pay over $1 billion and implement significant new safeguards to protect children online. The settlement includes stricter age-assurance measures, a daily two-hour limit for teen users, default disabling of notifications during school hours, hidden likes/reactions, and a nighttime access mode restricting features for children.
A bipartisan coalition of 33 state attorneys general, led by Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, began trial against Meta Platforms, Inc., alleging the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Facebook and Instagram that drive children and teens to use the platforms compulsively, while falsely assuring parents and the public that its platforms were safe for young users. The states also allege Meta illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, violating COPPA. The trial opened before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, with the states seeking monetary penalties and injunctive relief.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement marking the first day of trial in a multistate lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company knowingly designed addictive features on Facebook and Instagram that harm children's mental health. The coalition alleges Meta illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, violating COPPA, and seeks monetary penalties, restitution, and an injunction against deceptive practices.
A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general led by New Jersey, California, Colorado, and Kentucky is taking Meta Platforms, Inc. to trial, alleging that Meta designed addictive features on Instagram and Facebook that harm minors' mental health, illegally collected data from children under 13 without the required protections under COPPA, and misled users about platform safety. Opening arguments begin August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. No monetary penalty or final remedy has yet been imposed.