A California Jury Just Said What People Already Thought About Instagram and YouTube

The companies were found guilty of building platforms designed to keep young people addicted.

EXPERT OPINION BY JASON ATEN, TECH COLUMNIST @JASONATEN

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES – FEBRUARY 19: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaves the Federal Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles after defending the company in a landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles, United States, on February 19, 2026. (Photo by Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images)

For years, Meta and Google said there was no proof that their apps caused harm to teenagers. Despite the fact that there seemed to everyone to be a negative connection between teenagers using apps like Instagram or YouTube and their mental health, the platforms claimed there were safeguards in place. They argued that their platforms were built responsibly.

On Wednesday, a California jury disagreed.

A Los Angeles jury found both Meta and Google’s YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction case, ruling that the companies were negligent in the design of their platforms. The jury agreed with the plaintiffs that the companies knew those designs were dangerous for minors, failed to warn users of those risks, and caused substantial harm. The verdict came after more than 40 hours of deliberation across nine days and roughly a month of testimony.

Both companies say they plan to appeal. Meta said it “respectfully disagrees with the verdict,” which, of course, it does. Google called the case a mischaracterization, adding that YouTube “is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site.” (YouTube being classified as a social media platform will likely become its own legal argument in the appeals process.)

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The plaintiff, identified as Kaley in court, is a 20-year-old California woman who began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9. She described being on social media “all day long” as a child, and testified that her addiction exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Snap and TikTok were originally named in the suit, but settled before the trial began.

“Today’s verdict is a historic moment — for Kaley and for the thousands of children and families who have been waiting for this day,” the plaintiff’s attorneys said in a statement after the verdict. “She showed extraordinary courage bringing this case and telling her story in open court. A jury of Kaley’s peers heard the evidence, heard what Meta and YouTube knew and when they knew it, and held them accountable for their conduct.”

The jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages, with Meta bearing 70 percent of the responsibility and YouTube 30 percent. Because the jury also found the companies acted with malice, oppression, or fraud, punitive damages are still to be determined.

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