STORY: :: 'This is the tip of the spear,' plaintiff's lawyer says after Meta, Google lose case over social media harm to kids
:: Los Angeles, California / March 25, 2026
:: Mark Lanier, Plaintiff's lawyer
"There are so many families who've been tragically hurt through the addiction of social media. And while we've never been able to talk about the content of what these social media platforms can do, that's protected under the judge's rulings, we have been able to talk about the features. And we've sent a message with this that you will be held accountable for the features." // "And this is the tip of the spear. And you've got to remember, this is what's called a bellwether, it's the first trial. In the history of American jurisprudence it usually takes the plaintiffs three or four times to figure out how to win these cases. The plaintiffs are supposed to lose the first three or four. We won and so that's provocative in what it says to everyone. You know, you had Google's A-Team here. You had Meta's A-Team here. They had the best lawyers that their money could buy and they went after us and went after poor Kaley and her family like vultures over a carcass. I mean, they were all over everything and they didn't win. And so we're deeply appreciative and I do think it bodes well for the other thousands of cases that are out there."
:: Both Meta and Google say they disagree with the verdict and plan to appeal
The verdict could mark a turning point in the global backlash against their platforms' perceived mental health harms to kids and teens, more than two decades after the emergence of social media.
The jury found Meta liable for $4.2 million in damages and Google for $1.8 million, small amounts for two of the world's most valuable companies. Meta said in January it expects its capital spending for 2026 to be between $115 billion and $135 billion. Alphabet said the same month it expects to spend between $175 billion and $185 billion in 2026.
The case involves a 20-year-old woman, a minor when the case began who is known in court by her first name Kaley. She said she became addicted to Google's YouTube and Meta's Instagram at a young age because of their attention-grabbing design. The jury found Google and Meta were negligent in the design of both apps and failed to warn about their dangers.
