BREAKING: Jury finds Google and Meta liable in landmark social media addiction case

BREAKING: Jury finds Google and Meta liable in landmark social media addiction case

A Los Angeles jury has found Google and Meta liable in a major lawsuit centered on social media addiction, marking a significant legal moment for the tech industry.

The case focused on platform design, with plaintiffs arguing that attention-driven features contributed to addictive behavior, especially among young users. A 20-year-old plaintiff said she became addicted at a young age due to how the apps were built.

The ruling could impact thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide, as states, school districts, and families continue to take legal action against companies behind platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

This comes as pressure grows across the U.S., with at least 20 states passing laws related to children and social media use, including age verification requirements. A separate case in New Mexico also found Meta violated state law over claims it misled users about safety and enabled harm on its platforms.

Snap and TikTok were also named in the Los Angeles case but settled before trial. Terms were not disclosed.

Originally posted on Facebook.