The verdict against Meta and YouTube is a victory for children – and the US justice system | Austin Sarat

A California jury found Meta and YouTube liable for harms caused to a young woman identified as KGM, who began using social media at age six and alleged the platforms' attention-holding features contributed to her injuries. The plaintiff's suit claimed Instagram, YouTube, and other sites deliberately designed their features to maximize user engagement and create dependency among young users. The verdict represents a significant legal challenge to how major tech platforms operate, establishing that companies can be held responsible in court for the documented effects of their products on children. This case potentially opens the door to broader litigation against social media giants over claims that their algorithms and design choices exploit developing brains and foster addiction-like behavior. The decision signals that even powerful technology companies must answer to juries for how their platforms affect vulnerable users, particularly minors.