Social Media Giants Held Accountable for Harming Youth

0:00It's March 26. From global headlines to breaking updates, this is Global News Today, powered by AI. Juries and two states just made history by holding major social media companies accountable for harming young users. In New Mexico, a jury ruled that Meta broke consumer protection laws after investigators posed as kids and documented sexual solicitations on it's platforms. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, another jury found Meta and Google's YouTube liable for designing addictive features that target teens. These cases mark a big shift, side-stepping old legal shields, like Section 230, that usually protect tech firms from user content issues. The Los Angeles trial was a test case among thousands of similar family lawsuits, much like those against Big Tobacco or opioids, potentially paving, the way for broader settlements, parents, doctors, educators, and advocates are celebrating these wins after years of warnings about addiction, eating disorders, and worse linked to social media.

1:01Public opinion is turning two, with a recent Pew poll showing nearly half of teens now believe it harmed their age group up from about a third just a few years ago. The companies, including Meta and Google, strongly disagree in plant appeals, but experts say this opens new legal ground focused on product design over content. It could force real changes in how platforms operate for kids. As regulators and attorneys general push for reforms, eyes are already shifting to emerging tech like AI chatbots, which could bring fresh risks that demand the same scrutiny to keep young people safe.