A federal jury trial is scheduled to start on Tuesday in a lawsuit filed in 2023 by 30 U.S. states, including California and New York, that alleges Meta Platforms Inc. violated privacy laws for children. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, asserts that Meta’s Instagram and Facebook apps targeted minors in ways that contravene federal and state statutes. The states are seeking damages of more than $1 trillion and are asking the court to require Meta to eliminate "like" counts for users under 18, end infinite‑scroll feeds, implement parental verification for teenage accounts, modify recommendation algorithms, restrict video autoplay, prohibit the creation of multiple accounts, and ban disappearing posts such as Instagram Stories. Meta has denied the allegations, stating in a press release that it "strongly disagrees" with the claims and is confident the evidence will demonstrate its commitment to protecting young users. The case will be heard by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who previously oversaw the high‑profile dispute between Elon Musk and Sam Altman and is known for a direct style on the bench. Earlier this year, a New Mexico judge fined Meta $942 million and ordered similar changes, including the removal of like counts for users under 18 and limits on push notifications, after finding the company contributed to a youth mental‑health crisis. The 30 states represent roughly two‑thirds of the U.S. population. If the lawsuit succeeds, the court’s order would likely apply nationwide, prompting a substantial restructuring of how Meta’s platforms operate for younger users. Internal research cited in the complaint indicated that Instagram’s "like" feature encourages social comparison, which the states say is linked to increased loneliness, poorer body image, and negative mood among adolescents. Meta’s own documents reportedly show that the company was aware of these effects. The trial marks the latest in a series of legal challenges involving Meta’s handling of youth safety, following earlier rulings in other jurisdictions that have also examined the impact of its platform design on mental health. The outcome of the trial remains uncertain, and any ruling could reshape the user experience on Instagram and Facebook and affect Meta’s business model.