Juries in two states find social media linked to harms to children

Juries in Los Angeles and New Mexico found platforms including Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children, and the companies say they disagree and are exploring legal options, including appeals.

Jury decisions and background combined into one paragraph. For the first time in recent cases, juries in two U.S. states returned verdicts finding major platforms responsible for harms to young users. In Los Angeles a jury found Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children using their services. In New Mexico a jury determined Meta knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. What officials reported: - A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children using their services. - A New Mexico jury determined that Meta knowingly harmed children's mental health and withheld information about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. - Meta and Google said they disagree with the rulings and are exploring legal options, including appeals. Summary: The verdicts mark a notable shift in how juries have assessed claims about platform harms and reflect growing public and legal attention to those claims. Both companies have signaled they will pursue legal responses, and further legal and regulatory steps are expected to follow.