Jury finds Meta and YouTube negligent in landmark lawsuit on social media safety

Guardian

Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people, jury finds

FOX News

Jury finds Meta, Google liable in landmark social media addiction trial, awards $3M in damages

Breitbart

Jury Finds Meta and Google Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial

ZeroHedge

Jury Finds Meta and Google Liable in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial

The New Republic

Meta and Google Found Liable in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial

JonHaidt

TRT World

Why Big Tech must be held accountable to curb social media addiction in children

NetChoice

NetChoice Sues Utah to Keep Kids Safe Online and Protect Constitutional Rights

Ctech

Big Tech on the witness stand: Are algorithms responsible for the mental health crisi

Metaculus

Date Meta Faces Antitrust Violations

Anthony Albanese

9News Australia

Terry Flew

Australian Human Rights Commission

Aaron Mackey

Joanne Orlando

Melissa McIntosh

Damini Satija

Julie Inman Grant

Timothy Koskie

"They took the easy option, and it will fail."

“New accounts are being created and the age-verification tools that the government assured Australians would be effective, have proven laughably easy to bypass with some makeup and good lighting.”

“Tech-savvy teens simply use VPNs, fake birth photos for face scans, or migrate to less regulated platforms like Lemon8, or to platforms not part of the ban like video games. Enforcement is proving to be difficult in the days leading up to the ban.”

"Some verification methods are often inaccurate while others are easily circumvented.”

"Technological workarounds – such as VPNs and false age declarations – may undermine the effectiveness of the ban."

"This law will also push many users toward platforms that are more personal and private, like Telegram channels, WhatsApp Communities, and Signal Groups, which are not currently banned because they are important tools for encrypted and direct communication."

David Inserra

“Ultimately, reducing online harm would be a great outcome; however, we know from evidence that ‘banning’ anything from young people won’t work on its own.”

Louise La Sala

“There’s a fair amount of teething problems around it. Many young people have been posting on TikTok that they successfully evaded the age limitations and that’s to be expected.”

"I think it will help a lot of parents because it's not them saying no, it's an actual law."

Cassie Xintavelonis

“We don’t expect safety laws to eliminate every single breach. If we did, speed limits would have failed because people speed, drinking limits would have failed because, believe it or not, some kids do get access to alcohol.”

“The fact that teenagers occasionally find a way to have a drink doesn’t diminish the value of having a clear national standard.”

"Just as the banning of phones in school classrooms by many state governments hasn't on day one led to perfect compliance, now it's just accepted that there are improved educational outcomes, improved behaviour, improved social outcomes as a result."

"Australia's social media ban is already driving change, and is proof that the threat of regulation works, even before the law takes effect. Waiting for perfect policy risks paralysis when real progress is already within reach.”

Will Australia's Under 16 Social Media Ban be Effective?

A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in the design and operation of their platforms, awarding $3 million in compensatory damages to a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as KGM — the first such social media addiction case to go to trial.

A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in the design and operation of their platforms, awarding $3 million in compensatory damages to a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as KGM — the first such social media addiction case to go to trial.

The jury assigned 70% of the damages to Meta and 30% to YouTube, and also found both companies acted with "malice, oppression or fraud," triggering a separate phase to determine punitive damages.

The jury assigned 70% of the damages to Meta and 30% to YouTube, and also found both companies acted with "malice, oppression or fraud," triggering a separate phase to determine punitive damages.

KGM testified she began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 11, after which she became addicted by spending time on the platforms "all day long." She said her use contributed to depression, anxiety and body dysmorphia.

KGM testified she began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 11, after which she became addicted by spending time on the platforms "all day long." She said her use contributed to depression, anxiety and body dysmorphia.

Plaintiffs' lawyers highlighted design features including infinite scroll, autoplay and notification systems as intentionally engineered to hook young users. Meta and YouTube denied wrongdoing, citing safety tools and parental controls, with Meta planning to appeal.

Plaintiffs' lawyers highlighted design features including infinite scroll, autoplay and notification systems as intentionally engineered to hook young users. Meta and YouTube denied wrongdoing, citing safety tools and parental controls, with Meta planning to appeal.

The trial was the first in a consolidated group of roughly 1,600 cases filed by individuals, families and school districts. TikTok and Snap settled with KGM before trial, leaving Meta and YouTube as the remaining defendants.

The trial was the first in a consolidated group of roughly 1,600 cases filed by individuals, families and school districts. TikTok and Snap settled with KGM before trial, leaving Meta and YouTube as the remaining defendants.

The verdict came one day after a New Mexico jury <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2026/meta-hit-with-m-fine-over-child-safety-failures">ordered Meta to pay $375 million</a> for misleading consumers about platform safety and enabling child exploitation — the first back-to-back rulings ever to find Meta liable for conduct on its platforms.

The verdict came one day after a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for misleading consumers about platform safety and enabling child exploitation — the first back-to-back rulings ever to find Meta liable for conduct on its platforms.

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The jury assigned 70% of the damages to Meta and 30% to YouTube, and also found both companies acted with "malice, oppression, or fraud," triggering a separate phase to determine punitive damages.

The jury assigned 70% of the damages to Meta and 30% to YouTube, and also found both companies acted with "malice, oppression, or fraud," triggering a separate phase to determine punitive damages.

KGM testified she began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, spending time on the platforms "all day long" as a child. She said her use contributed to depression, anxiety and body dysmorphia.

KGM testified she began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, spending time on the platforms "all day long" as a child. She said her use contributed to depression, anxiety and body dysmorphia.

Plaintiffs' lawyers highlighted design features including infinite scroll, autoplay and notification systems as intentionally engineered to hook young users. Meta and YouTube denied wrongdoing, citing safety tools and parental controls.

Plaintiffs' lawyers highlighted design features including infinite scroll, autoplay and notification systems as intentionally engineered to hook young users. Meta and YouTube denied wrongdoing, citing safety tools and parental controls.

The verdict came one day after a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for misleading consumers about platform safety and enabling child exploitation — the first back-to-back rulings ever to find Meta liable for conduct on its platforms.

Meta and YouTube built platforms engineered to hook kids, and the courts are finally holding them accountable. A New Mexico jury hit Meta with $375 million in civil penalties, and a Delaware court ruled insurers don't have to cover Meta's costs because the harm was intentional — not accidental. These platforms aren't neutral conduits; they're attention machines designed to exploit developing minds, and that design is now a legal liability.

Meta and YouTube built platforms engineered to hook kids, and the courts are finally holding them accountable. A New Mexico jury hit Meta with $375 million in civil penalties, and a Delaware court ruled insurers don't have to cover Meta's costs because the harm was intentional — not accidental. These platforms aren't neutral conduits; they're attention machines designed to exploit developing minds, and that design is now a legal liability.

Jonathan Haidt

Blaming social media platforms for teen mental health ignores what the science actually shows — depression and anxiety are shaped by sleep, relationships and economic instability, not just screen time. Oxford researchers found screen time explains only a small slice of mental health variation, and rising depression rates predate social media entirely. Holding platform design solely responsible is a dangerously simple answer to a deeply complex problem.

Blaming social media platforms for teen mental health ignores what the science actually shows — depression and anxiety are shaped by sleep, relationships and economic instability, not just screen time. Oxford researchers found screen time explains only a small slice of mental health variation, and rising depression rates predate social media entirely. Holding platform design solely responsible is a dangerously simple answer to a deeply complex problem.

California Tech Exodus

Meta, YouTube Lose First Social Media Addiction Trial

Verdicts & sentences

Lawsuits

Science & technology

Children and youth

United States of America

Meta and YouTube built platforms engineered to hook kids, and the courts are at long last holding them accountable. Beyond just the harmful content children are exposed to, the actual algorithms behind this technology are what addict and physically damage young minds. These platforms aren't neutral conduits, but attention machines designed to exploit developing brains, and history will judge them just as it did other addictive substances.

Meta and YouTube built platforms engineered to hook kids, and the courts are at long last holding them accountable. Beyond just the harmful content children are exposed to, the actual algorithms behind this technology are what addict and physically damage young minds. These platforms aren't neutral conduits, but attention machines designed to exploit developing brains, and history will judge them just as it did other addictive substances.

Blanketly blaming social media platforms for teen mental health ignores what the science, as depression and anxiety are shaped by sleep, relationships and economic instability, not just screen time. Oxford researchers found screen time explains only a small slice of mental health variation, and rising depression rates predate social media entirely. Holding platform design solely responsible is a dangerously simple answer to a deeply complex problem.

Blanketly blaming social media platforms for teen mental health ignores what the science, as depression and anxiety are shaped by sleep, relationships and economic instability, not just screen time. Oxford researchers found screen time explains only a small slice of mental health variation, and rising depression rates predate social media entirely. Holding platform design solely responsible is a dangerously simple answer to a deeply complex problem.

There's a 50% chance that the U.S. will break up Meta Platforms by December 31, 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 50% chance that the U.S. will break up Meta Platforms by December 31, 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Meta, YouTube Lose First Social Media Addiction Jury Trial

Meta, YouTube Lose First Social Media Addiction Jury Trial

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

The Controversies

Australia

McIntosh

Orlando

Mackey

Commission

Inserra

Sala

Flew

Xintavelonis

Grant

Albanese

Albanese

Koskie

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Meta, YouTube Lose First Social Media Addiction Jury Trial

Meta, YouTube Lose First Social Media Addiction Jury Trial

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

The Controversies

Australia

McIntosh

Orlando

Mackey

Commission

Inserra

Sala

Flew

Xintavelonis

Grant

Albanese

Albanese

Koskie

Go Deeper

Articles on this story

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