What Next | Daily News and Analysis Social Media’s Big Tobacco Moment
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Mar 27, 2026 Ryan Mac, a New York Times business and tech reporter who covered the Los Angeles courthouse, walks through the social media addiction trial. He describes the courtroom atmosphere and key testimony. He breaks down why lawyers targeted platform design, the verdict’s limited damages, and how this win could spark more lawsuits and political pressure on big tech.
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Juries Can Bypass Section 230 By Targeting Design
- Juries can hold Big Tech accountable by targeting app design rather than user content.
- The LA bellwether case avoided Section 230 by arguing Meta and YouTube designed platforms to be addictive, producing a liability verdict.
Families Treated Verdict As Proxy Justice
- Families of social media users who died attended the LA courthouse and reacted emotionally to the verdict.
- Ryan Mac observed stifled cheers and tears as those families treated the decision as proxy justice for their loved ones.
Internal Communications Were Central Evidence
- The case's success rested on proving executives knew design choices could harm users.
- Trial evidence included internal communications and testimony from Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri about design trade-offs.