Meta, YouTube negligence: Years of evidence underpins Big Tech addiction fine

The bulk of the internal documentary evidence presented at trial related to Meta.

New Delhi : A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday found Meta and YouTube negligent in the design of their social media platforms and ordered them to pay $6 million in damages.

Visitors take photos at a sign outside Meta headquarters on Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (AP)

In reaching its verdict — the first of its kind — the jury relied heavily on a body of internal company documents, research studies and employee communications that had accumulated over years of whistleblower disclosures and litigation discovery.

HT graphics.

YouTube, owned by Google, was assigned the remaining 30%. The bulk