Meta lost two high-profile lawsuits last week, finding the company liable for putting teen mental health at risk. A New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay a $375 million fine after finding the company violated state law by prioritizing addictive design features over user safety. In Los Angeles, a jury found Meta 70% liable and YouTube 30% liable for plaintiff K.G.M.’s distress, with the companies agreeing to pay $6 million.
The verdict sets a precedent for thousands of pending cases against Meta, which have accused the company of knowingly designing apps that harm teen mental health. Experts say the decision highlights the need for more nuanced approaches to addressing online safety, rather than relying on censorship or “age verification” laws.
Meta’s design features, such as endless scrolling and notifications, were found to be addictive and detrimental to user well-being. Internal documents reveal a pattern of inaction by the company regarding its platforms’ negative impact on minors and a focused attempt to boost teen engagement.
However, Meta claims it is listening to concerns and has made efforts to improve safety features, including new protections for teenage users on Instagram. One former employee who worked on social media apps says she was concerned about lack of effective content moderation tools but had her concerns dismissed.
As lawmakers debate bills aimed at addressing children’s online safety, experts warn that censorship or “age verification” laws could lead to massive online censorship and stifling of speech.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/31/meta-was-finally-held-accountable-for-harming-teens-now-what