US Court Rules Meta and YouTube Deliberately Designed Addictive Products Harming Teen User

A US jury has delivered an unprecedented verdict holding Meta and Google liable for deliberately designing their platforms to be addictive, causing serious harm to a teenage user. After six weeks of testimony and nine days of deliberation, the court ruled in favor of 20-year-old plaintiff Kaley, who sued the tech giants claiming their products caused her severe depression and other harm when she was 13 years old. The landmark case represents the first successful legal challenge against major social media companies over allegations that they intentionally created addictive features targeting minors. The ruling could set a significant precedent for how courts handle claims about the mental health impacts of social media platforms on young users.