Meta’s Been Found Guilty of Exploiting My Generation. So Why Don’t I Feel Better?

The Free Press • March 30, 2026 • business

Key Points:

A Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google negligent for creating addictive social media platforms that harmed a young woman's mental health.
The plaintiff, Kaley, began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at 11, subsequently developing anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia, and suicidal thoughts.
The jury awarded $6 million in damages, split evenly between compensatory and punitive, with Meta responsible for 70 percent of the total.
This case highlights growing legal scrutiny over social media companies' roles in mental health issues among young users.