Key Takeaways
- Tech giants Meta and Google were found responsible for creating platforms that caused harm to young users
- The jury awarded $4.2 million in damages against Meta and $1.8 million against Google
- A 20-year-old plaintiff identified as Kaley claimed her addiction to Instagram and YouTube started in childhood
- Both tech companies have announced intentions to challenge the ruling
- Snap and TikTok reached settlements prior to trial proceedings
On March 25, a jury in Los Angeles delivered a significant verdict determining that Meta and Google acted negligently when designing social media platforms that caused damage to young people. The court ordered Meta to compensate the plaintiff $4.2 million, while Google was directed to pay $1.8 million to Kaley, a 20-year-old woman.
Meta & Google have been found liable in a social media addiction lawsuit
• A jury found them negligent in the design and operation of their platforms
• They have been ordered to pay $3M in damages
• The plaintiff is a 20-year-old woman who alleges she was addicted to… pic.twitter.com/Z7ckUaiScq
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) March 25, 2026
During her testimony, Kaley described how she developed an addiction to Instagram and YouTube during her childhood years, attributing it to the deliberately engaging design features of these applications. She explained that this dependency consumed much of her life over an extended period and played a significant role in her subsequent mental health challenges.
The jury determined that both corporations failed in their duty to alert users about potential risks associated with their platforms. Unlike typical content-based lawsuits, this case centered on platform architecture and design choices, making it significantly more difficult for the defendants to claim protection under standard legal defenses.
This verdict represents a historic moment as one of the first such cases to be decided by a jury in the United States. The lead attorney for the plaintiff characterized it as “a referendum from a jury to an entire industry that accountability has arrived.”
Meta released a statement expressing disagreement with the jury’s decision and indicated it is exploring all available legal remedies. Google similarly announced plans to file an appeal. Throughout the trial, both corporations maintained their defense positions.
Interestingly, despite the unfavorable verdict, Meta’s stock price increased by 0.3% at market close, while Alphabet’s shares rose 0.2% on the day the ruling was announced.
Case Details and Trial Proceedings
The trial took place in a Los Angeles courtroom. While Snap and TikTok were initially included as defendants in the lawsuit, both companies reached confidential settlement agreements before trial commencement. The financial terms of these settlements remain undisclosed.
Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg provided testimony during the proceedings. He faced questioning about his decision to reverse a temporary prohibition on beauty filters, despite warnings from Meta staff members about potential negative effects on teenage girls. Zuckerberg defended his choice by stating it enabled users to have creative freedom and self-expression.
Jury members examined confidential internal communications that revealed strategies employed by Meta and Google to appeal to and engage younger demographic groups.
Defense attorneys representing Meta contended that the plaintiff’s mental health difficulties stemmed from a challenging family environment. YouTube’s legal team maintained that Kaley’s actual usage of their platform was quite limited.
Additional Legal Battles on the Horizon
A distinct federal lawsuit filed by multiple states and educational institutions is scheduled to proceed to trial during the summer months in Oakland, California.
Another state-level trial is set to commence in Los Angeles this July. That litigation will name Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat as defendants.
In a separate ruling on Tuesday, a jury in New Mexico also found against Meta, determining the company had violated state regulations in a lawsuit initiated by the state’s attorney general concerning child protection on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
During the previous year, a minimum of 20 states across the United States enacted legislation addressing children’s access to and use of social media platforms. However, federal lawmakers have yet to pass any nationwide legislation on this matter.
Meta has disclosed expectations for capital expenditures ranging from $115 billion to $135 billion in 2026. Alphabet has forecast spending between $175 billion and $185 billion for the current year.
The New Mexico decision against Meta occurred just 24 hours prior to the Los Angeles jury announcing its verdict.
