"In March 2026, a California jury found in favour of a plaintiff (identified by the court-protected name 'KGM' or 'Kaley') who had sued Meta and Google for deliberately targeting children like her with addictive design."
"The jury, finding in their favour, awarded $6M in total damages, determining that Meta and Google had 'acted with malice, oppression and fraud'."
"A truth, shocking even for those who have long been worried about the toxic design practices used at social media companies, is emerging: children in adverse circumstances and abusive homes are particularly vulnerable when it comes to poorly designed social media products."
A California jury ruled in favor of a plaintiff, KGM, against Meta and Google for targeting children with addictive designs on Instagram and YouTube. KGM claimed these platforms caused addiction and depression, resulting in body dysmorphia. The jury awarded $6M in damages, citing malice and fraud. Snapchat and TikTok settled before trial. A series of federal lawsuits with hundreds of similar claims is set to begin in June 2026, highlighting the vulnerability of children from adverse backgrounds to harmful social media designs.
Read at Medium
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