Sensemaker Why are Meta and Google liable for social media addiction?
Mar 27, 2026
Patricia Clark, a technology reporter at The Observer, breaks down a landmark court ruling holding Meta and Google accountable. She discusses the addiction-by-design claim, dramatic executive testimony, and why the verdict could shift industry practice and spur more legal and regulatory action. Short sentences. Clear stakes.
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Childhood Addiction That Sparked A Lawsuit
- Kayleigh started using Instagram at nine and YouTube at six and quickly obsessed over her appearance.
- By age 10 she felt anxiety and depression that later became body dysmorphia and self-harm thoughts, prompting a 2023 lawsuit at 17.
Design Not Content Was Found Harmful
- The trial framed platform features like infinite scroll as intentionally designed to maximise engagement and comparable to cigarettes or casinos.
- A jury found Meta and Google liable and determined they acted with malice, oppression or fraud over addictive design choices harming a child.
Executives Testified About Underage Use
- Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri testified; Zuckerberg cited the company's under‑13 ban while Mosseri called 16 hours in a day 'problematic' not proof of addiction.
- Internal research shown in court suggested Meta knew under‑13s used its platforms despite policy claims.