TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Tuesday that a federal judge has denied Meta Platforms Inc.’s request for summary judgment, allowing a multistate lawsuit alleging the company harmed children through Facebook and Instagram to proceed to trial.
The lawsuit, filed by New Jersey and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, alleges Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to maximize profits by encouraging children and teenagers to spend increasing amounts of time on the platforms while exposing them to mental and physical harm.
According to the attorney general’s office, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California rejected Meta’s motion for summary judgment, clearing the way for a trial scheduled to begin in August.
The court also agreed with New Jersey that Meta did not obtain parental consent in a manner sufficient to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, a federal law that protects the online privacy of children younger than 13.
“We are thrilled that a federal district court has ruled that our case against Meta will proceed to trial,” Davenport said. “For years, Meta has failed to protect kids on Facebook and Instagram, endangering their mental health while profiting at their expense. Our office is proud to co-lead this case against Meta on behalf of a bipartisan coalition of state AGs, and we look forward to proving our case against Meta in court.”
New Jersey sued Meta in 2023, alleging the company designed and deployed harmful features on Facebook and Instagram that contributed to addiction among children and teens. The lawsuit alleges violations of federal law, including COPPA, as well as the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Aug. 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Oakland, with opening statements set for Aug. 18.
