‘Now we have the proof’: Safety advocates hope a landmark jury ruling could lead to social media changes

Key Points:

• Recent jury verdicts found Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children and teens, marking the first legal judgments on social media safety for young users and validating long-standing concerns from online safety advocates.
• Meta was found responsible for creating environments conducive to child predators and designing addictive platforms that harmed mental health, while YouTube was criticized for similar issues, though both companies plan to appeal the decisions.
• Advocates call for social media platforms to eliminate addictive features like frequent notifications, "Snap Streaks," endless scrolling, and autoplay videos that encourage excessive use, especially among minors.
• There is growing demand for greater transparency about algorithmic content recommendations and stronger federal regulations, including legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act, which would impose a duty of care on platforms to protect children.
• Some experts and advocates urge lawmakers to consider stricter measures such as age restrictions for social media access, while balancing concerns over privacy and free expression.