Jury Finds Meta And YouTube Negligent In Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial
A jury ruled Meta and Google negligent in a social media addiction trial, awarding millions. Here's what this landmark verdict means for your kids.
Matilda
Jury Finds Meta And YouTube Negligent In Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial
Meta & Google Found Negligent in Social Media Addiction Trial A Los Angeles jury has ruled that Meta and Google are legally negligent for harming a young woman's mental health through their platforms. The verdict, delivered March 25, 2026, orders the two tech giants to pay $6 million in total damages — a decision that could reshape how social media companies operate for years to come. What the Jury Actually Decided The case centered on a 20-year-old woman, referred to publicly as Kaley, who alleged that Instagram and YouTube fueled her anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia during her teenage years. Jurors sided with her after reviewing internal evidence suggesting the platforms knowingly made their products more addictive to young users. Meta was assigned 70% of the compensatory damages, with the remainder falling on Google. After further deliberation, the jury added punitive damages — bringing Meta's total liability to $4.2 million and YouTube's to $1.8 million. The Ev…
