Court in U.S. finds Meta and YouTube harm users’ mental health

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in court in February 2026. Photo: BBC

On March 26, 2026, a jury in Los Angeles delivered a landmark verdict, finding Instagram and YouTube partially liable for psychological harm suffered by a user due to social media addiction, according to BBC.

The court concluded that both platforms were designed with features capable of driving compulsive use, particularly among teenagers. The plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman identified as Kayli, said prolonged use of social media led to depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphic disorder.

The jury apportioned responsibility between the companies – 70% to Meta and 30% to YouTube. The court ordered them to pay $6 million in damages, with the possibility of additional penalties.

A key finding of the case was that the companies were aware of the risks to teenagers’ mental health but failed to take adequate steps to protect users. Experts have already compared the case to litigation against the tobacco industry, which ultimately led to tighter regulation.

Meta and Google, YouTube’s parent company, said they disagree with the verdict and plan to appeal. Company representatives argued that their platforms cannot be the sole cause of psychological issues, and that YouTube, in particular, is not a social network.

Earlier, the Portuguese parliament approved legislation banning social media for children under 16.

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