Social Media Giants Found Liable for Harm to Children – What You Need to Know

Key Insights:

• Two landmark 2026 jury verdicts found Meta and YouTube legally responsible for harm caused to minors, signaling a major shift in social media accountability.
• Courts focused on platform design defects, not user content, creating a new legal pathway around Section 230 protections.
• Features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic amplification were identified as intentionally addictive and harmful to young users.
• Evidence revealed companies were aware of mental health risks, including anxiety, depression, and self-harm, but failed to act.
• Thousands of potential claims may emerge, particularly among individuals who used social media heavily between the ages of 8 and 18 and suffered documented harm. 

For years, parents, educators, and mental health professionals have sounded the alarm about the devastating effects of social media on children and teenagers. It wasn’t until a landmark decision in March that social media giants like Meta were held responsible for the impact they’ve had on adolescents. 

Since the start of 2026, two juries have now delivered historic verdicts holding Meta and YouTube legally responsible for the harm their platforms caused to minors. These decisions open the door for thousands of families across the country, including here in New York, to pursue justice for the real and lasting injuries their children have suffered at the hands of social media platforms. 

At Leav & Steinberg, we are actively evaluating social media harm cases and have been closely following these developments. If your child, or someone close, has been seriously harmed by social media use, we encourage you to contact us to speak to an experienced attorney at no cost to understand your specific options.

Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Verdicts: A Historic Turning Point

In a landmark decision [1] on March 25, 2026, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury found Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) and Google’s YouTube negligent in the design of their social media platforms. The jury found that both companies were aware their platforms could harm minors and failed to adequately protect or warn young users. 

The plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman who began using YouTube at the age of 5 and Instagram at the age of 9, testified that compulsive use of these platforms contributed to anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. In this landmark decision, a jury awarded the plaintiff $6 million in damages, including punitive damages, after finding the companies acted with malice, and apportioned 70% of the fault to Meta and 30% to YouTube.

One day earlier, a separate jury in New Mexico found Meta liable for $375 million [2] in civil penalties for failing to protect children from predators on Instagram and Facebook, and for misleading consumers about platform safety. 

These social media addiction verdicts together change the tide as it pertains to social media companies taking accountability for the severe and drastic negative impact they’ve had on the lives of thousands of young children in the United States. Finally, legal recourse exists for families and individuals victimized by these platforms to seek justice for their injuries.

Designed to Addict: What the Evidence Shows

Central to both cases was the argument that these platforms were not passive tools – they were engineered to maximize time on screen, especially among adolescents.

Features, including the following, were specifically called out in the trial:

• Infinite scroll, which eliminates natural stopping points
• Algorithms that amplify emotionally provocative content
• Autoplay features that keep users watching without any active decision
• Push notifications designed to pull children back into the app
• “Beauty” filters that distort self-image – which Meta’s own employees warned about internally
• Algorithms that amplify emotionally provocative content to increase engagement

Internal documents and press releases throughout the years revealed that company executives were aware these design choices could harm young users and actively failed to address them. 

Chamath Palihapitiya, a long-time Facebook exec, said in a 2017 press release [3] that he would not let his own children use social media. 

The fact that these companies knowingly built products that exploited children’s developmental vulnerabilities for profit is core to the negligence argument that the juries ultimately sided with.

Why These Cases are Different: Design Defect, Not Content

One reason these verdicts are legally significant is how the cases were framed. For years, social media companies have relied on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act [4], which generally shields internet platforms like Instagram and YouTube from liability for content posted to their platforms by third parties.  

By focusing on the design of the platforms, rather than the specific content that users encountered, plaintiff’s attorneys found a powerful pathway around that shield.

The argument is straightforward: this is a product liability claim. Just as a manufacturer can be held liable for designing a dangerous product, social media companies can be held liable for designing platforms that actively victimize users, especially children, in the name of engagement. 

Who May Have a Claim?

While every case is different and eligibility depends on the specific facts, individuals who may have strong claims generally share the following:

• Used Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, or YouTube between the ages of 8 and 18
• Used one or more of these platforms daily – at times for 3 or more hours per day
• Are currently 25 years old or younger
• Suffered serious injury that social media caused or substantially contributed to, such as an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, depression, severe anxiety, self-harm, or suicidal ideation or attempt
• Have documentation of treatment (doctor’s notes, therapy records, hospitalization) or are willing to seek treatment

In New York, the statute of limitations for these personal injury claims runs from the date the affected individual turned 18 (and lasts for 3 years thereafter), meaning many young people are still within the window to file. 

How Leav & Steinberg Can Help With Social Media Addiction Lawsuits

Leav & Steinberg’s team of social media lawyers in New York has been following the social media harm litigation closely and is now actively evaluating cases for individuals and families affected by the negative effects of social media use. We understand how serious these injuries are, not just as legal claims, but as life-altering experiences for the young people who suffered them and the families who watched helplessly.

Our firm has a long track record of pursuing justice against powerful defendants who put profits before the safety of the people they serve. Our team of attorneys is here to make sure your family has the representation it deserves.

If your child or a loved one has suffered serious harm that you believe was caused or worsened by social media usage, do not wait. Contact Leav & Steinberg today for a free consultation. Call us at +1 (347) 408-2947 or fill out this form to speak with an experienced attorney who can explain your options for recovery.

Resources: 

1. Jury finds Meta and Google Negligent in social media harms trial
2. Meta ordered to pay $375 Million in New Mexico trial over child exploitation 
3. Former Facebook Exec Says He Won’t Let His Own Kids Use Social Media
4. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act