Digital
US jury slams Meta, Google with $6m penalty in social media addiction trial
Landmark verdict may open floodgates as firms face design scrutiny
LOS ANGELES: In a landmark moment that could reshape the rules of the internet, a Los Angeles jury has found Meta and Google liable for contributing to a young woman’s social media addiction and worsening mental health.
The ruling, delivered on March 25, 2026, is the first of its kind in what legal experts call a “bellwether” trial, essentially a test case that could set the tone for thousands more waiting in the wings across the United States.
After nine days of deliberation, the 12-person jury returned a 10–2 verdict, concluding that the tech giants were negligent in how they designed their platforms, including Instagram and YouTube.
The jury awarded $6 million in damages to the plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman identified as KGM. The sum includes $3 million in compensatory damages for therapy and lost earning potential, and another $3 million in punitive damages aimed at penalising what the jury deemed “malice, oppression, or fraud”.
Meta will shoulder 70 per cent of the payout, while Google is responsible for the remaining 30 per cent.
What makes this case stand out is its legal strategy. Rather than focusing on harmful content, the plaintiff’s legal team argued that the platforms themselves functioned as defective products. This approach sidestepped the usual protections offered by Section 230, which typically shields tech firms from liability over user-generated content.
The spotlight instead fell on design features. Infinite scroll, autoplay, and persistent notifications were portrayed as carefully engineered loops designed to keep users, especially minors, hooked.
Internal documents presented in court suggested that executives were aware younger users were particularly vulnerable. The case also pointed to the role of beauty filters in fuelling body image issues and depression, which the plaintiff said began when she started using the apps at age nine.
Both companies pushed back, arguing that mental health challenges are complex and cannot be pinned on a single factor. They also raised questions around parental oversight, suggesting the plaintiff’s struggles may have stemmed from circumstances beyond screen time.
Google further argued that YouTube should be treated as a video streaming service rather than a social media platform, distancing it from the addiction narrative.
While $6 million may barely dent the balance sheets of these tech giants, the implications are far from small change. More than 2,000 similar cases are currently queued up in courts, and this verdict could nudge many towards settlement.
The decision also places a sharper lens on platform design. Features once celebrated for boosting engagement may now face scrutiny as potential liabilities, especially where younger users are concerned.
For Meta, the timing adds to the sting. Just a day earlier, a separate jury in New Mexico ordered the company to pay $375 million in a case linked to child safety on its platforms.
Both Meta and Google have said they will appeal. But for now, the message from the courtroom is clear, the era of unchecked scroll may be nearing its legal limits.
Digital
Moneycontrol Wealth Summit spotlights markets and investing trends
Finance leaders decode volatility, regulation and long-term wealth strategies
MUMBAI: Moneycontrol brought the world of finance into sharp focus at the second edition of Moneycontrol Global Wealth Summit 2026, presented by IDFC FIRST Bank. The event gathered leading voices from markets, policy and global investing to unpack the forces shaping wealth creation in uncertain times.
At a moment when global markets are being pulled in multiple directions, the summit turned into a sounding board for investors looking to make sense of volatility and opportunity alike. Conversations ranged from geopolitical risks to regulatory frameworks, all with one common thread of long-term thinking.
SEBI chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey, urged investors to stay patient amid market swings driven by geopolitical tensions, energy disruptions and rapid information flow. He noted that volatility is now a defining feature of modern markets, but cautioned retail investors against reacting impulsively to short-term movements.
Meanwhile veteran investor Ramesh Damani, struck a more reflective note, suggesting the post-pandemic bull run may be nearing a pause. He encouraged investors to focus on understanding business fundamentals rather than getting caught up in price movements, adding that how markets respond to news often matters more than the news itself.
Former board member at Securities and Exchange Board of India Ananth Narayan G, turned the spotlight on India’s derivatives market. He pointed out that the dominance of short-tenure contracts could be a structural weakness and suggested that regulators and exchanges explore ways to make longer-duration contracts more attractive.
As investors navigate an increasingly complex global landscape, the summit offered both clarity and caution. It reinforced a simple idea that while markets may sway in the short term, informed and patient investing remains the surest path to building lasting wealth.
