Trial Against Facebook Set for July 12

A judge will decide whether to hear the District of Columbia's Facebook case alongside a separate suit against Mark Zuckerberg.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Cybersecurity

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Judge Robert Okun set a July 12 jury trial in the District of Columbia's 2018 lawsuit against Facebook, which alleges the company misled users about who could access their information and failed for years to disclose that user data was improperly obtained and sold to Cambridge Analytica. Facebook has denied any wrongdoing.

Why it matters

The judge denied Facebook's bid to end the case before trial on Nov. 6, finding the District produced evidence that consumers care deeply about the privacy and control of their personal data. The outcome could shape how courts weigh privacy misrepresentations by large technology platforms.

The court record shows a scheduled July 12, 2027 jury trial, while a New Mexico jury's finding against Meta carried $25 billion in ordered damages. Whether the District's case will be consolidated with the Zuckerberg suit remains undecided.

The players

The details

The District of Columbia sued Facebook in 2018, alleging the company gave users a false impression about who could access their information. In 2022, the District separately sued Mark Zuckerberg over his oversight of data protection at the company. Judge Robert Okun set the trial date at a hearing on Thursday and said he will consider whether to try the two cases together.

2018: District of Columbia files lawsuit against Facebook.
2022: District sues Mark Zuckerberg over data protection oversight.
Nov. 6, 2026: Judge denies Facebook's motion for summary judgment.
July 12, 2027: Jury trial against Facebook scheduled to begin.

Big Picture

The case follows the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which prompted years of state and federal scrutiny of how Facebook handled user data. A New Mexico jury's September finding that Meta misled consumers about data privacy suggests a pattern of state-level privacy litigation following that scandal.

Facebook users in the District may see the outcome of this case influence how the company discloses who can access personal information. The trial could set expectations for how platforms explain privacy controls to everyday users.

The takeaway

Privacy promises made by large platforms are increasingly tested in court, so users can review who can see their data and check privacy settings regularly. Court outcomes in cases like this may clarify what companies must disclose about data sharing.

What happens next

Judge Robert Okun will decide whether to try the District's Facebook case and the Zuckerberg case together, and the jury trial is scheduled to begin July 12, 2027.