Social media is used by millions of people every day, especially young people who spend hours scrolling, watching videos, and chatting online. While these platforms help people connect and share ideas, experts have raised concerns that some features may encourage users to spend too much time on their screens. A recent court decision in the United States has brought this issue into the spotlight, raising questions about whether social media companies should be responsible for how their platforms affect users’ mental health.
US Court says social media companies must take responsibility:
A landmark court case in the United States has found major social media companies Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) and YouTube responsible for harm linked to social media addiction. A jury in Los Angeles ruled that the companies were negligent in designing their platforms, saying features like endless scrolling and autoplay videos encouraged excessive use, especially among young people. The case was brought by a young woman who said using these platforms from a young age led to serious mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
The jury awarded about $6 million (around INR 50 crore) in damages, with Meta paying about 70% and YouTube the rest. This is one of the first major cases of its kind and could lead to stricter rules and safer designs for social media platforms, especially to protect children. Experts say the decision may influence many similar cases in the future and change how tech companies design their apps.
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