Meta and YouTube found liable on all charges in social media trial
The verdict, which caps a weekslong trial in Los Angeles, could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.
Updated on: March 25, 2026 / 7:38 PM EDT / CBS News
A jury on Wednesday found that Meta and YouTube are liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users, a landmark decision that could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.
The jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages to the lead plaintiff in the case, a woman named Kaley. Identified in court filings by her initials "KGM," she alleged that using YouTube and Instagram from a young age led to addictive use of the platforms and contributed to her mental health problems, including depression, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts.
Jurors ruled that Meta and YouTube were negligent in designing and operating their platforms, factors that resulted in harm to the plaintiff. The jurors also found that the companies were aware that their platforms could have adverse effects on minors but failed to adequately warn users. Meta bears 70% of the responsibility, while YouTube shoulders 30%, the jury ruled.
Jurors also decided the companies acted with "malice, oppression or fraud," accounting for the $3 million award in punitive damages. Of that amount, Meta will be responsible for paying $2.1 million, and YouTube must pay $900,000.
The decision caps a weekslong trial that put Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri on the stand to defend their products in a case that drew comparisons to the tobacco industry lawsuits in the 1990s. Jurors deliberated in a Los Angeles courtroom for nine days for a total of more than 40 hours, at one point telling the judge that they were struggling to reach a consensus on one of the defendants.