Meta and Google found liable in landmark social media addiction trial
Mar 26, 2026
Los Angeles [US], March 26: A Los Angeles jury has handed down an unprecedented win for a young woman who sued Meta and Google over her childhood addiction to social media.
Jurors found that Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, owner of YouTube, intentionally built addictive social media platforms that harmed the 20-year old's mental health.
The woman, known as Kaley, was awarded $3mn in a result that is likely to have implications for hundreds of similar cases now winding their way through US courts.
Lawyers for Meta argued that while Kaley had suffered in her life, her use of Instagram did not cause or meaningfully contribute to those struggles.
In a statement, Meta said: "We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options."
Jurors found Meta to be 70% responsible for the plaintiff's harm, and YouTube was 30%, meaning Meta will pay the majority of Kaley's award.
Source: Qatar Tribune
