Jury Finds YouTube and Meta Liable in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial, Awards $6M Total in Damages

A Los Angeles jury found Google's YouTube and Meta negligent and liable for designing addictive platforms that harmed a young user's mental health, awarding $3 million in compensatory damages and recommending an additional $3 million in punitive damages (with YouTube responsible for 30% of the harm). The landmark March 25, 2026 verdict is expected to influence thousands of similar lawsuits now making their way through U.S. courts, with both companies stating they disagree with the verdict and intend to appeal.