Alphabet's Google and Meta were found liable on Wednesday for designing platforms that are dangerous for kids and teens, in a landmark verdict that could force tech firms to rethink how they defend themselves against safety claims.
The verdict could mark a turning point in the global backlash against their platforms' perceived mental health harms to youth, more than two decades after the emergence of social media.
The jury found Meta liable for $4.2 million in damages and Google for $1.8 million, small amounts for two of the world's most valuable companies. Meta said in January it expects its capital spending for 2026 to be between $115 billion and $135 billion. Alphabet said the same month it expects to spend between $175 billion and $185 billion in 2026.
The case involves a 20-year-old woman, a minor when the case began, who is known in court by her first name Kaley. She said she became addicted to Google's YouTube and Meta's Instagram at a young age because of their attention-grabbing design. The jury found Google and Meta were negligent in the design of both apps and failed to warn about their dangers.
"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.
