ICYMI: Ahead of Meta Trial, Attorney General Jones Secures Critical Win

ICYMI: Ahead of Meta Trial, Attorney General Jones Secures Critical Win 

RICHMOND, Va. — Attorney General Jay Jones issued a statement after a court fully denied an attempt by Meta Platforms, Inc., to obtain summary judgment and cleared the way for the case brought by the Commonwealth and attorneys general nationwide to proceed to trial. 

“Meta put profits over the health and safety of our children. For too long, Big Tech companies have been able to leverage their excessively deep pockets and armies of lawyers to skirt accountability for their actions and harm to our communities,” said Attorney General Jay Jones. “The court’s ruling is a major step toward accountability and sends a clear message to Meta and other social media platforms that they are not above the law. The Commonwealth looks forward to the upcoming trial and intends to fight tirelessly to bring critical reforms that will protect the wellbeing of Virginians.” 

The lawsuit, which is currently set for trial in August 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that the company designed Facebook and Instagram to maximize profits while ensnaring children for longer and longer periods of time on the social media platforms. As the lawsuit asserts, Meta designed and deployed harmful features on its  

platforms, addicting children and teens to their severe mental and physical detriment. At the same time, Meta misled and deceived children and their parents, assuring the public that these features were safe and suitable for young users. 

In its decision, the federal district court rejected Meta’s motion for summary judgment, allowing the claims brought by the Commonwealth and the bipartisan coalition of attorneys general to proceed to trial. The court also agreed with Virginia that Meta did not obtain parental consent in a manner sufficient to satisfy the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a federal law that protects the online privacy of children under 13 years old. 

In 2023, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General sued Meta, alleging that the company designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and Facebook to addict children and teens’ and misled the public about the harms and risks of those features. The lawsuit alleges that Meta violated federal and state laws, including COPPA and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.  

The first state Attorney General trial in this case is scheduled to start in August. Jury selection starts on August 12, and opening statements are on August 18 in Oakland, California. 

Published on: July 8, 2026

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