The Vergecast Meta's court losses could be just the beginning
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Mar 27, 2026 Courtroom fights over social media design take center stage, with big consequences for algorithms, notifications, and liability. There’s also a strange router ban, AI-powered music fraud, and a look at why chatbots are turning back into apps. Plus, Grammarly sparks questions about likeness and attribution.
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The New Legal Attack Targets Product Design
- These lawsuits tried to dodge Section 230 by attacking rankings, notifications, and engagement mechanics instead of user-posted speech.
- Nilay's paper-cut analogy framed the platforms as harmful products whose design choices can be negligent even if content stays protected.
People Stayed On Social Media Without Liking It
- Social platforms mistook continued usage for approval because users cannot easily vote with dollars when monopoly-like network effects lock them in.
- Nilay argued parents and plaintiffs turned to courts only after politics, regulation, and market competition all failed to change the products.
Everything On A Computer Cannot Be Speech
- Nilay thinks treating everything that happens on a computer as speech let tech companies dodge accountability for harmful product decisions.
- He argued the challenge now is separating actual speech from design choices before government overreach becomes the only remaining response.
