March 26, 2026 | 07:12 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A landmark trial against Meta and YouTube in California ended with a jury finding the social media companies liable for designing their platforms to be addictive without concerns for young users' well-being.
The plaintiff was initially awarded $3 million (€2.6 million) in damages, 70% of which was to be paid by Meta and 30% by YouTube. Later on Wednesday, the jurors also recommended that the two companies pay another $3 million in additional punitive damages.
"Today's verdict is a referendum — from a jury, to an entire industry — that accountability has arrived," the plaintiff's lead counsel said in a statement.
The plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman, said her mental health was harmed due to using social media as a child, watching YouTube videos when she was 6 then joining Instagram when she was 9, and growing addicted to it.
She also sought damages from Snap, the developers of Snapchat, and China's TikTok. Those companies, however, settled with the plaintiff before going to trial. The terms of those settlements were not released to the public.
Social media 'hooks' in the spotlight
Meta is the owner of multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
"We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options," Meta said in a statement following the Wednesday decision.
Google, the owner of YouTube, also said they disagreed with the verdict and had plans to appeal.
During the widely publicized trial, the woman's lawyers pointed to design features aimed to "hook" users, including the option of infinite scrolling, autoplay features and notifications.
In turn, Meta's team argued that "not one of her therapists identified social media as the cause" of her mental struggles, and sought to focus on her troubled home life. However, the plaintiff did not need to prove a direct causal link between social media and her mental health — rather, the legal requirement was to show it was a "substantial factor."
Zuckerberg's Meta still reeling from New Mexico case
Social media companies are facing backlash in the US and all over the world, litigating multiple suits and dealing with new laws restricting social media use for children.
The latest verdict comes hot on the heels of a case in New Mexico, where a jury found Meta liable in a child safety lawsuit. The company was ordered to pay $375 million (roughly €323 million) in civil penalties.
Meta signaled it would appeal the New Mexico decision.
The company, helmed by US billionaire and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, is currently valued at about $1.5 trillion.
Zuckerberg appeared as a witness in the Los Angeles trial last month.
Read: Mark Zuckerberg Testifies in Social Media Addiction Trial
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Meta Hit with $375 Million Fine in Child Exploitation Case
20 jam lalu
While the New Mexico jury's landmark decision to hold Meta liable could be a bellwether, the penalty is only a fraction of what prosecutors sought.
Meta Reportedly Planning Another Wave of Layoffs
8 hari lalu
Meta is reportedly preparing to lay off 20 percent of its 79,000 employees as executives begin planning for a new wave of staff reductions in 2026.
WhatsApp to Launch Premium 'WhatsApp Plus' Subscription
19 hari lalu
The subscription feature will be called WhatsApp Plus, which offers a number of additional customization options.
Indonesia Reprimands Meta Over Defamation and Online Gambling Content
20 hari lalu
The government assesses Meta as having one of the lowest compliance levels among other social media platforms in Indonesia.
WhatsApp to Add Long-Awaited Scheduled Message Feature
27 hari lalu
Tech company Meta is preparing a scheduled messaging feature for WhatsApp, one of the most requested features by users.
Mark Zuckerberg Testifies in Social Media Addiction Trial
34 hari lalu
Google and Mark Zuckerberg's Meta have been accused of deliberately making platforms addictive to children and harming their mental health.
US: Meta, YouTube on Trial Over Kids' Social Media Addiction
43 hari lalu
The US bellwether case could reshape how social media is designed for children, with Meta and YouTube accused of harming users via addictive features.
Meta Pauses Teen Access to AI Characters Amid Scrutiny
58 hari lalu
Meta is facing a trial in New Mexico, United States, for failing to protect children from sexual exploitation on its platform.
Meta Shuts Over 544,000 Australian Accounts After Ban
12 Januari 2026
The tech giant removed Facebook, Instagram and Threads accounts to comply with Australia's social media ban for under-16-year-olds.
Meta to Launch 'Mango' and 'Avocado' AI Models in 2026
22 Desember 2025
This project is managed under Meta's superintelligence laboratory led by Alexandr Wang, a founder of Scale AI.
