Jury in Los Angeles finds Meta, YouTube negligent in social media addiction trial

In this article META GOOGL Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaves the Federal Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles after defending the company in a landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles, United States, on February 19, 2026. Jon Putman | Anadolu | Getty Images A jury in Los Angeles determined on Wednesday that Meta and Google were negligent and failed to warn users of the dangers associated with using their platforms, in a case that could have repercussions across the social media and the broader technology market. The personal injury trial commenced in late January in Los Angeles Superior Court. A young woman identified as K.G.M., or Kaley, alleged that she became addicted to apps like Instagram and YouTube as a child. Deliberations began Friday, May 13. Jurors ultimately ruled in favor of the plaintiff, who claimed that Meta and YouTube's negligence played a "substantial factor" in causing mental health-related harms. Jury members must now determine potential financial damages related to their verdict. It's one of several trials taking place this year that experts have characterized as the social media industry's "Big Tobacco" moment, comparing it the 1990s, when tobacco companies were forced to pay billions of dollars for lying to the public about the safety and potential harms of their products. On Tuesday, jurors in Santa Fe, New Mexico found that Meta willfully violated the state's unfair practices after Attorney General Raúl Torrez alleged that the company failed to properly safeguard its apps from online predators targeting children. Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in damages based on the number of violations. The company said that it would appeal the case. The New Mexico case is separate from other social media lawsuits that state attorneys general have brought against companies including Meta and TikTok. During the six-week trial in L.A., jury members were tasked with determining whether Meta and Yo...