Google, Meta Hit with Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

0:00On March 25th, a jury in Los Angeles ruled Wednesday that Afabet's Google and Metta must pay up in a major social media addiction lawsuit. The case centers on a 20-year-old woman who says the company's apps hoaked her young with their addictive designs. Snap and TikTok settled with her ahead of trial, keeping details private. This decision might pave the way for thousands more suits from parents, attorneys general, and school districts. Meanwhile, about half of American teens hit YouTube or Instagram daily. Tech firms have drawn heavy fire over the past decade for risks to kids and teens online. Congress has stalled on federal rules, so states jumped in with at least 20 new laws last year, targeting school cell phones and age checks for accounts. Trade groups backed by Google and Metta are now challenging those age verification mandates in court. Another addiction case from states and schools heads to federal trial in Oakland this summer. And in July, Los Angeles sees Round 2 with Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat on the

1:03line. These fights signal big shifts ahead for how platforms protect young users.