{"id":898084,"date":"2026-04-09T12:24:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T17:24:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/09\/meta-youtube-found-liable-in-landmark-social-media-addiction-trial-ordered-to-pay-us6m\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T12:24:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T17:24:41","slug":"meta-youtube-found-liable-in-landmark-social-media-addiction-trial-ordered-to-pay-us6m","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/09\/meta-youtube-found-liable-in-landmark-social-media-addiction-trial-ordered-to-pay-us6m\/","title":{"rendered":"Meta, YouTube found liable in landmark social media addiction trial, ordered to pay US$6M"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<figure data-aqa=\"featured-image\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;h=423&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=U1KWvGU79zfszjX4cmWyfw, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;h=846&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=-i4rDtx7pX77c5bGEckGXA 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;h=423&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=2SQ-7ktDBN-5Rh9He_m-wA, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;h=846&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=NNQP0uf90FhymMHzl217sg 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;h=354&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=p0FVGlzWY099UArEAY74lQ, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;h=708&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=9FixOH_0bemitBRuQpxAkw 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;h=354&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=jGfI2pFMq9MlS0WMInu9yA, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;h=708&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=OY3z7x0B7gF3y8FlipUvuw 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=RbbF9n5OacTGiwGrqEzYsA, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;h=432&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=UaZC20Gu9_4A93GCoot6JA 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img alt=\"People stand before microphones.\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;sig=WdDIRADaU8qIBnOD1hI1ig\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;sig=WdDIRADaU8qIBnOD1hI1ig,\n                    https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/social-media-trial-1.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;h=432&#038;sig=QVF5qyaldsP1zTY6JPwirg 2x\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"900\" width=\"1200\"><\/picture><figcaption><span>Plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against social media companies speak to reporters outside of the Los Angeles Superior Court after a jury found social media giants Meta and Google liable for designing addictive social media platforms, March 25, 2026<\/span> <span>Photo by Justin Sullivan\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>LOS ANGELES \u2014 A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday found Meta and YouTube liable for harming a young woman through the addictive design of their social media platforms, ordering the companies to pay US$6 million in damages and opening the door to potentially far larger punitive awards.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-aqa=\"identity-sign-in\" data-async id=\"article-block\">\n<header>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"National Post\" height=\"37\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-np-new.svg\" width=\"280\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS<\/p>\n<p>Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.<\/li>\n<li>Unlimited online access to National Post.<\/li>\n<li>National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.<\/li>\n<li>Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/li>\n<li>Support local journalism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p>Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.<\/li>\n<li>Unlimited online access to National Post.<\/li>\n<li>National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.<\/li>\n<li>Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/li>\n<li>Support local journalism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p>Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month.<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n<p>Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div data-auth-component id=\"auth-screen-form\" aria-live=\"assertive\">\n<h2>Sign In or Create an Account<\/h2>\n<p><span><\/span><span>or<\/span><span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The jury answered yes to all seven questions on verdict forms for both companies, finding that Meta and YouTube were negligent in the design and operation of their platforms and that their negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to the plaintiff.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Jurors also found that both companies knew or should have known their services posed a danger to minors, that they failed to adequately warn users of that danger, and that a reasonable platform operator would have done so.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<div aria-labelledby=\"NPPosted7711416546344412390894333719478272\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-aqa=\"widget-newsletter\" data-newsletter=\"single\" data-newsletter-component data-target-list=\"NP_HeadlineNews\" data-widget=\"newsletter\">\n<p>By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAccountability has arrived,\u201d lawyers for the plaintiff said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>For years, social media companies have been shielded from most legal threats thanks to laws that grant them immunity from the potentially inflammatory or damaging content their users post. Wednesday\u2019s verdict changed that calculus. The content on Meta\u2019s Instagram and Google\u2019s YouTube wasn\u2019t the focus of the trial. Instead, plaintiffs attacked the companies\u2019 designs and core functionality, creating a world in which they could continue to get sued unless the products are changed accordingly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>A separate jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, earlier this week found Meta liable for endangering minor users of Facebook and Instagram.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>In New Mexico, the company was ordered to pay US$375 million in penalties, a verdict it said it would appeal.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>A spokesman for Meta said they \u201crespectfully disagree\u201d with the verdict on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The panel assigned Meta 70 per cent of the responsibility for the plaintiff\u2019s harm \u2014 a US$4.2 million share of the compensatory award \u2014 and YouTube the remaining 30 per cent, or US$1.8 million.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Jurors further found that both companies had acted with malice, oppression or fraud, a finding that sets the stage for a separate punitive damages phase.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The rulings could ripple across hundreds of pending lawsuits against social media companies facing similar allegations, with the total liability potentially running into the billions of dollars.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBellwether trials like this one serve as signals about how juries respond to specific theories of harm,\u201d said Daryl Lim, a law professor at Pennsylvania State University.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>He added that the verdict \u201cshould increase the pressure\u201d on platforms to settle outstanding cases.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The plaintiff, known in court documents by her initials K.G.M. and identified as just Kaley at trial, is the central figure in a bellwether case that could determine whether social media companies can be held legally responsible for harming children\u2019s mental health.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nationalpost.com\/news\/world\/meta-youtube-social-media-addiction\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against social media companies speak to reporters outside of the Los Angeles Superior Court after a jury found social media giants Meta and Google liable for designing addictive social media platforms, March 25, 2026 Photo by Justin Sullivan\/Getty Images Article content LOS ANGELES \u2014 A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":898085,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[256,49,104640],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-898084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-found","category-youtube","category-youtube-videos"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=898084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/898084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/898085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=898084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=898084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=898084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}