Trial Begins in Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s Landmark Case Against Meta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
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RALEIGH - Opening arguments began today in a bipartisan multistate case against Meta, the largest social media company in the world. Attorney General Jeff Jackson and 28 bipartisan attorneys general allege that Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, designed its platforms to be addictive to kids and deceived the public about their harms.

"Meta's been trying for years to avoid taking accountability for breaking the law and hurting our children," said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. "That stops now. We're in court and we're making our case to prove that Meta made Instagram and Facebook addictive to kids and hid it from parents."

North Carolina and other states sued Meta in 2023, and Meta has repeatedly tried and failed to get the case thrown out. In 2024, the court rejected Meta's attempt to dismiss key parts of the states' case and allowed claims about the platforms' addictive design and Meta's efforts to deceive users about known risks to move forward. Earlier this summer, the court rejected Meta's attempts to obtain favorable rulings on all claims before trial began.

The attorneys general are asking the court to force Meta to stop its unlawful practices, follow laws designed to protect children and consumers, pay penalties, and give up the profits it gained from breaking the law.

Attorney General Jackson is bringing this case alongside the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

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