The $6 million verdict against Meta and YouTube was returned by a jury in a Los Angeles County courtroom on March 26, 2026, in the case of P. F, et al (K.G.M) v. Meta Platforms, Inc, et al. The decision has reverberated throughout both the tech world and the mainstream media and suggests that juries in the U.S. are prepared to hold “big tech” companies accountable for the addictive effects of their platforms on young consumers. Beyond the implications for tech giants such as Meta and YouTube, however, this case could also have important implications for other players in the space, including Canadian tech companies.
Issue
The 20-year-old plaintiff, K.G.M., brought a claim against the social media companies, Meta (which owns Instagram and Facebook) and YouTube for causing harm to her mental health. The jury was charged with determining whether Meta and YouTube were negligent in the design of their platforms and failed to warn K.G.M. of the dangers, and whether such negligence caused
