Meta is on trial – again. Here's what to know about the case brought by dozens of states

A multi-state court case against the parent company of Facebook and Instagram that opens Tuesday could have far-reaching effects for how kids interact with social media.

In this portion of the multi-district litigation, California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey claim Meta violated the privacy of children and has developed and deployed "psychologically manipulative" features on its platforms designed to keep children scrolling. In all, 29 attorneys general from Democratic and Republican states are involved in the lawsuit.

WATCH: Advocates for greater social media protections for kids speak outside Meta trial

The case is just one of many brought against Meta and other social media companies in recent years, but because states – and not solely individuals – are suing, the outcome could have broader effects.

The attorneys general make four broad claims in their original complaint:

The states also say Meta violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting children's data without their parents' permission.

In its response, Meta says it "denies each and every allegation" the states have made.

"Meta disputes both the science and the legal theories," Daryl Lim, law professor at Penn State Dickinson Law, said in an email to PBS News.

Meta argues that there is no evidence its products are "addictive" and claims that its public statements were not false or misleading, Lim said.

Dimi Heryxlim, 15, a social media content creator, poses while displaying his 'House of Lim' Instagram page at Burwood Chinatown in Sydney, Australia, Nov. 14, 2025. Photo by Hollie Adams/ Reuters

The company also says it is protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and, in some cases, the First Amendment, he added. Social media companies sometimes invoke Section 230 to legally protect themselves from being sued over user-generated content.

Meta also says that its services were and continue to be age-restricted, and that children who improperly used its products did so through "deception, fraud, or other improper conduct."

The science is murky on how social media use affects children, experts say. Studies can only determine correlations, not causation, between social media use and children's behavior, said Jennifer Katzenstein, co-director of the Center for Behavioral Health at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital.

The data we do have shows mixed effects. On the one hand, moderate use of social media can help kids stay connected and maintain friendships, Katzenstein said. There appears to be a "sweet spot" of social media use, especially when guardians monitor children's use and the content they see.