In a bellwether case, a jury in Los Angeles found on Wednesday that Meta and YouTube are responsible for a young woman’s childhood addiction to social media, and intentionally built addictive platforms that harmed her health.

The companies say they intend to appeal against the verdict, which could set a legal precedent and have far-reaching consequences.

Marianna Spring, the BBC’s social media investigations correspondent, has spent the past year speaking to whistleblowers and insiders from social media companies, revealing how algorithms designed to connect people have been helping to tear them apart. We ask if this week’s verdict is just the start of something much bigger.

The BBC is throwing open the doors to Maida Vale Studios on Saturday 25 April for Castfest, a one-day celebration bringing its biggest news podcasts directly to fans. Apply for Castfest tickets below.

Producer: Valerio Esposito and Cat Farnsworth

(Photo: Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaves the court at the case accusing Meta and Google's YouTube of harming kids' mental health through addictive platforms, 18 February, 2026. Credit: Mike Blake/Reuters)