By Abby Jackson
Publication Date: 2026-04-01 22:30:00
A jury decided that social media company Meta and video streaming service YouTube harmed a 20-year-old user with addictive design features that led to her mental health distress.
What’s happening?
According to The New York Times, the case was brought by a now-20-year-old woman, identified as K.G.M., who accused Meta and Google of designing their platforms with addictive features such as infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations.
K.G.M., who began using social media at age 6, said it led to personal issues like body dysmorphia.
This case argued that social media companies created products as addictive as gambling and cigarettes and claimed they led to K.G.M.’s anxiety and depression.
The jury determined Wednesday that Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, must pay her $4.2 million, and YouTube, owned by Google, must pay $1.8 million.
Joseph VanZandt, a lawyer for K.G.M., said: “This is the first time in history a jury has heard testimony by executives and seen internal documents…
