FRANKFORT, Ky. (August 18, 2026)- Ahead of opening statements, Attorney General Russell Coleman today issued the following statement as a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general began presenting their case against Meta, formerly Facebook. Tuesday begins a multi-week trial in which Kentucky, joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, and New Jersey, will prove the social media giant knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Facebook and Instagram that drive compulsive use of the platforms by children and teens, while falsely assuring parents and the public that its platforms were safe for young users.
“This week, we’re in court with the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history. We’ll show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable,” said Attorney General Coleman. “AGs are in the perfect position to get this done. We did it with the Tobacco Settlement in the 1990s. We did it with the companies behind the opioid crisis. We’ll do it again with Meta and kids will be safer as a result.”
Attorney General Coleman joined 'America's Newsroom' on Fox News to discuss the landmark trial. Watch here.
The state coalition filed suit against Meta following a multi-year nationwide investigation. According to the lawsuit, Meta deliberately designed its platforms to exploit young users’ vulnerabilities, foster compulsive use, and maximize the time young people spend on Facebook and Instagram. The attorneys general also assert Meta knew about harms to young users but deceived users, parents, and the public about the risks. The attorney generals will also prove Meta illegally collected personal information from children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
Meta has repeatedly tried to prevent the states’ case from reaching trial. In 2025, the court rejected Meta’s attempt to dismiss key parts of the states’ case, allowing claims related to allegedly addictive platform design and Meta’s failure to warn young users and parents about known risks to move forward. After the court rejected Meta’s motion to rule in their favor without a trial in June 2026, the company asked the district court and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the trial. Both courts rejected that request, clearing the way for the attorneys general to present their case at trial.
In working to hold Meta accountable, the states will seek monetary penalties but also require the company to follow laws designed to protect children and consumers. Ultimately, the group will force Meta to change how its platforms protect kids.
The trial is before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and is expected to last six to eight weeks.
The trial will be litigated by counsel from the attorney general offices of Kentucky, California, Colorado, and New Jersey, with support from other coalition states.
The lawsuit also includes attorneys general from 25 other states: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.