Jury Finds Meta, Google Liable in Social Media Addiction Trial

Jurors agreed with a California woman that the companies were responsible for psychological harms she suffered after becoming addicted to their platforms.

Lori Schott (center R) embraces Mary Rodee after the verdict in a landmark trial over whether social media platforms deliberately addict and harm children at Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles on March 25, 2026. William Liang/AP Photo

LOS ANGELES—A Los Angeles jury on March 25 found Google and Meta liable for $6 million in damages in a landmark social media trial.

The case pitted a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as “Kaley G.M.” or “K.G.M.” against the two tech giants, asking a jury whether the companies could be held accountable for psychological harms that she suffered as a result of an addiction to their apps, YouTube and Instagram.