Big Tech Group Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Block Vermont’s Lawsuit Against Meta
Keeping the case in Vermont ensures AG Charity Clark will see a Vermont jury—not one in Silicon Valley—decide if Meta’s "infinite scroll" and push notifications violated state Consumer Protection laws
A national tech advocacy group is making a final push to stop Vermont’s consumer protection lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc. from ever reaching a local jury, arguing that a recent Vermont Supreme Court ruling could expose every business with a website to lawsuits in all 50 states.
The filing by NetChoice—a trade association representing giants like Meta, Google, and TikTok—is the latest escalation in a high-stakes battle over whether Vermont has the legal authority to police the design of social media apps.
The “Smoking Gun” in Vermont
While Meta argues it has no physical presence in the Green Mountain State, Attorney General Charity Clark’s office has pointed to internal Meta documents to prove the company specifically targeted Vermont.
According to court records, Meta researchers identified Vermont as a unique market, noting that at certain times, more teens in Vermont used Instagram per capita than in any other state. The state’s complaint alleges that Meta didn’t just stumble into this success; it actively studied engagement trends in the “top ten cities” of Vermont to refine its algorithms.
“Meta didn’t just build a product that happened to be used here,” the AG’s office argued in a previous filing. “They tracked our kids, studied their habits, and designed features to keep them scrolling, even when their own research showed it was causing harm.”
The “Business Model” Trap?
The core of the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court (Case No. 25-909) rests on a technical but vital legal question: Personal Jurisdiction. Last year, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that because Meta sells advertising to Vermont businesses and shows those ads to Vermont users, it is “doing business” in the state and can be sued here. NetChoice warns this logic is a “trap.”
“If selling an ad is enough to get you sued for a product’s design, then every newspaper, retailer, and small business with a website is at risk,” NetChoice argued in its March 10 brief. They claim the lawsuit should be thrown out because the state isn’t actually suing Meta over the ads, but over the app’s code—which was written in California, not Montpelier.
The National “Big Tech” Reckoning
Vermont is not alone. This case is part of a massive wave of litigation hitting social media companies in 2026.
The “Bellwether” Trials: In Los Angeles, a landmark trial is currently concluding where a 20-year-old woman is suing Meta and Google, claiming their platforms’ “addictive design” led to her severe depression.
The Multi-State Push: Vermont is one of 14 states suing Meta in their own local courts, while nearly 30 other states are pursuing a combined “multi-state” lawsuit in California.
By keeping the case in Vermont, AG Charity Clark is ensuring that a Vermont jury—not one in Silicon Valley—decides if Meta’s “infinite scroll” and “push notifications” violated the Vermont Consumer Protection Act.
What’s Next?
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to hear the case later this spring. On March 9, the Court granted the State of Vermont an extension to file its formal response. Attorney General Charity Clark now has until April 17, 2026, to convince the Justices that Vermont has every right to protect its own citizens from digital harm.
If the Supreme Court declines to intervene, the case will return to Vermont Superior Court for discovery, which could force Meta to turn over internal emails and research regarding its impact on Vermont teens.