Social Media Giants Fined for Addictive Designs

0:00On March 26th, a jury in Los Angeles ruled that Instagram and YouTube are addictive by design and that their owners neglected to protect young users. Meta and Google now owe $6 million in damages to a young woman named Kaylee, who blamed the platforms for her body dysmorphia, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Both companies plan to appeal the decision. Take Talk and Snapchat settled out of court before the trial even started. Meanwhile, a former Instagram employee says he warned leaders years ago about the risks to kids, though meta-disputes that. Reactions poured in from experts who see this as a major shift for big tech, similar to past tobacco industry reckoning. Parents and advocates are calling for tougher safeguards, like age bans and limits on addictive features that drive ad revenue. This marks the second loss for social media firms in U.S. mental health lawsuits this year, with more trials ahead. Australia has already blocked under 16s from major apps, and the United Kingdom is

1:01weighing similar moves amid heated debates. Whatever comes from the appeals, this verdict signals growing accountability for platforms worldwide, pushing them to rethink designs that hook young. Users for profit. I'm Corey with the story, and you've been listening to Global News today. AI-powered global coverage.