Published: 09:53 AM, 10 April 2026
Meta disagrees with Los Angeles court's verdict
For critics of tech companies like Meta and Google, last week's verdict in the social media addiction trial has been literally years in the making, reports CNN.
Parents, child safety experts and some lawmakers said the finding of liability was a long-overdue moment of accountability.
"For the parents whose children died as a result of social media harms, today's verdict is a huge step toward truth, justice, and accountability," Sarah Gardner, the CEO of Heat Initiative, a three-year-old group that says it exists to "turn up the heat on Big Tech."
Gardner argued that Wednesday's verdict from a Los Angeles jury "is social media's Big Tobacco moment - the harm these companies intentionally cause children has been proven in a court of law."
Alvaro Bedoya, a Biden-era FTC commissioner, wrote on X that "a jury of regular people has managed to do what Congress and even state legislatures have not: Hold Meta and Google accountable for addicting young people to their products." The trial centered on claims that the tech giants deliberately designed their platforms with addictive features that keep young users hooked and damage their well-being. Both companies have invested heavily in safety tools for younger users and dispute claims that their platforms are to blame for teen mental health issues. "We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal," Meta said in a statement on Wednesday. "Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as every case is different, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online."
Google similarly said it will appeal. "This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site," spokesperson José Castañeda said in a statement.
In the case, the plaintiff, identified as Kaley, or KGM, alleged that compulsive use of the platforms caused her to develop anxiety, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts.
