The verdict comes after Facebook’s parent company was ordered to pay $375 million for profiting from exposing youngsters to online abuse
A jury in California found Alphabet’s Google and Meta liable for $6 million in damages on Wednesday in a landmark lawsuit in which the social media giants were accused of being legally responsible for the addictive design of their platforms.
Major US tech companies have faced increasing scrutiny over child and teen safety over the past decade, a debate that has now moved into courts and state legislatures. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, an organization that tracks state laws, at least 20 states enacted laws on social media usage and children in 2025.
A jury ordered Meta to pay $4.2 million and Google $1.8 million in a lawsuit by a 20-year-old woman identified as Kaley, who said she became addicted to YouTube and Instagram as a minor due to features – such as infinite scrolling – which encourage prolonged engagement. Of the total award, about $3 million is compensation to the plaintiff, while the remainder represents punitive damages.
Both tech giants said they disagree with the ruling, and announced plans to appeal. TikTok and Snap were also named as defendants in the case, but managed to settle before the trial began.
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