Courts Rule Meta and Google Liable for Addictive Apps Harming Children's Mental Health

Two major court rulings this week have found Meta and Google liable for designing addictive apps that harm children's mental health. A Los Angeles jury awarded $6 million to a 20-year-old plaintiff, while a New Mexico court convicted Meta of misleading users and enabling child exploitation. These decisions could force tech firms to change how their platforms operate.

The Los Angeles case centred on claims that YouTube and Instagram were deliberately designed to be addictive. Internal company documents revealed that executives knew their products could harm young users but prioritised engagement instead. The jury ruled that both Meta and Google acted negligently in creating systems that maximise screen time.

Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, testified as a fact witness in the New Mexico trial. Raskin, who invented Infinite Scroll—a feature that keeps users endlessly scrolling—highlighted how design choices exploit psychological vulnerabilities. He also warned that AI could become the next technology to dominate users' emotional lives, with companies aiming to occupy the most intimate relational roles. In New Mexico, the court found Meta guilty of failing to protect minors from child predators. The verdict allows for financial penalties and mandatory design changes, such as stricter warnings or altered algorithms. Both companies have announced plans to appeal, arguing against the rulings. The decisions set a precedent for thousands of pending lawsuits from parents, school districts, and state attorneys general. With no federal laws regulating social media for children, courts and individual states are taking action. Last year alone, at least 20 US states passed laws restricting minors' access to platforms. Meanwhile, countries like India and Indonesia are now considering outright bans for young users, following similar moves in Australia, Denmark, Spain, and France.

The rulings mark a turning point in holding tech firms accountable for addictive design. Courts can now impose fines and force changes to how apps function. As lawsuits multiply and global regulators respond, social media companies may face growing pressure to redesign their platforms for younger users.