Written by Alice Njoki
Meta is facing a major trial in the United States that could force changes to some of the features that define Instagram and Facebook, including infinite scrolling, like counts and the way content is recommended to users.
The trial began on August 18, 2026, in federal court in Oakland, California, and is expected to last about six weeks. It is part of a wider lawsuit brought by 29 US states, which accuse Meta of violating children’s privacy laws and designing its platforms in ways that encourage young users to spend more time on them.
California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are leading the trial currently underway. The states argue that Meta’s products were designed to maximise engagement and that the company knew some of its features could be harmful to young users while failing to take sufficient action to protect them.
The case also focuses on how Meta handles children under 13. The states allege that Meta collected personal information from children without the required parental consent and did not do enough to prevent children below the minimum age from using its platforms.
One of the biggest parts of the case is the design of the platforms themselves. The states are asking the court to require Meta to make changes to features that they say encourage continuous engagement. These include infinite scrolling, which allows users to keep viewing posts without reaching an obvious stopping point, autoplay and visible like counts.
They are also challenging Meta’s recommendation systems, which use algorithms to decide what content appears in a user’s feed. The states want changes to how these systems operate, particularly in relation to younger users, and are seeking stronger limits on features they say can encourage repeated or prolonged use.
Other changes being sought include restrictions on creating multiple accounts and changes to disappearing content, including Instagram Stories. The states are also seeking stronger measures around younger users, including restrictions intended to keep children under 13 off the platforms and limits on how long younger users can use certain features.
These proposals do not mean Instagram and Facebook are about to remove these features. They are part of the remedies being requested by the states, and Meta would only be required to make changes if the court ultimately rules against the company and orders those measures.
Meta has denied the allegations. The company argues that it has made significant investments in safety and tools designed to protect young people and disputes the states’ characterisation of how its platforms operate.
The financial stakes in the case are also significant. Meta has said the states’ claims could expose it to as much as $1.4 trillion in damages, while the states have previously indicated that their damages calculation could be around $200 billion. The judge, rather than the jury, will determine Meta’s liability and any remedies.
The trial is therefore about more than whether Meta should pay a fine. Its outcome could determine whether a court can require one of the world’s largest social media companies to change the way some of its most widely used features are designed and operated.
For Instagram and Facebook users, a ruling against Meta could eventually mean noticeable changes to how feeds work, how content is recommended and how engagement features such as likes, scrolling and autoplay function.
For now, however, Instagram and Facebook remain unchanged while the trial continues. The court’s eventual decision will determine whether Meta must make any of the proposed changes and what other penalties or requirements could follow.