California AG Bonta Clarifies Meta Lawsuit Focuses on Restitution and Civil Penalties, Not Damages
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has stated that a high-stakes child safety case against Meta Platforms, currently in federal court in Oakland, is centered on "civil penalties, restitution and distortion," rather than primarily on monetary damages. This clarification came after the first day of arguments in a trial expected to last six to seven weeks. Bonta, along with attorneys general from Colorado, New Jersey, and Kentucky, is co-leading the case, representing a bipartisan group of 29 AGs. These states allege that the design and features of Facebook and Instagram encourage addictive behavior in children and negatively impact their mental well-being. Meta's lawyers had previously warned that the consolidated case could lead to penalties as high as $1.4 trillion, a figure Bonta disputes, stating that $200 billion is a more likely estimate from the state AGs. The states' lawyers contend that Meta violated federal and state laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and variou... 
