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LA jury finds Meta and Google liable for social media addiction
A jury in Los Angeles found Meta and YouTube owner Google liable for designing addictive features that harmed a young user, awarding $6m; both companies plan to appeal and the decision may spur further lawsuits against social media firms.
Mar 28th 2026 ยท United States
Insights
- A Los Angeles jury ruled that Meta and Google designed platforms that harmed a 20-year-old and awarded $6m in compensation and punitive damages.
- The plaintiff, known as Kaley, won on all counts after nine days of jury deliberation.
- Meta and Google said they will appeal and denied that their products were the sole cause of teen mental health problems.
- Snap and TikTok owner Snap settled before trial but remain defendants in upcoming bellwether cases.
- Legal experts say the verdict could encourage more suits and boardroom reassessments, though appeals may change the outcome.