Story perspectives

Texas Jury Awards $6M to Young Woman Over Social Media's Impact

3/29/2026

Center

Meta and YouTube Liable

A Texas jury found Meta and YouTube liable for contributing to a young woman's mental health issues, awarding $3 million in compensatory damages and recommending $3 million in punitive damages.
The trial argued that design features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay fostered addiction among minors.
State Rep. Jared Patterson praised the ruling and said social media contributes to youth mental health crises, signaling potential influence on similar lawsuits.

Right

Teenager Links Social Media

Colorado teenager Hallie Zilberman surveyed more than 1,000 peers and found links between social media use and anxiety, depression, and sleep deprivation.
About 60% of respondents felt overwhelmed, with nearly half reporting they had considered self-harm.
Zilberman noted that 52% reported sleep deprivation, often due to late-night social media scrolling.
These results come as Meta and Google appeal a verdict finding them liable for features contributing to youth compulsive use.

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Meta and YouTube Liable

A Texas jury found Meta and YouTube liable for contributing to a young woman's mental health issues, awarding $3 million in compensatory damages and recommending $3 million in punitive damages.
The trial argued that design features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay fostered addiction among minors.
State Rep. Jared Patterson praised the ruling and said social media contributes to youth mental health crises, signaling potential influence on similar lawsuits.

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