Meta faces ‘astronomical’ consequences as legal fight reaches critical moment in California

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, is seen in the U.S. Capitol after a meeting in the office of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., March 26, 2026.Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty ImagesIf New Mexico created the blueprint for taking on Meta, California could determine the company's fate when it comes to critical changes at Facebook and Instagram. Opening arguments begin Tuesday in the trial that California Attorney General Rob Bonta is co-leading against Meta, following a litany of allegations that the company fostered addictive behavior in teens and children. The jury was seated last week in Oakland's federal courthouse. The trial involves a coalition of 29 state attorneys general in a unified case against Meta that was brought in 2023, and will be argued by lawyers representing California, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky. The stakes are enormous as leading government officials across the country push for Meta to be held accountable for allegedly violating federal and state laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and various consumer protection statutes.Industry experts are calling it social media's "Big Tobacco" moment, with Meta as the c...