25 Mar 2026
- A landmark U.S. lawsuit accuses social media companies like Meta and Google of designing platforms that deliberately addict children and harm their mental health. - The case centers on a young plaintiff who said she became addicted to YouTube and Instagram as a child, developing anxiety, depression and body-image issues. - The trial is a “bellwether” case, meaning its outcome could influence more than 1,600 similar lawsuits against tech companies. - At the same time, governments around the world are proposing or implementing restrictions on social media use by minors. - Countries and regions such as Australia, Indonesia and India’s Karnataka state are exploring bans or strict limits on users under 16. - The debate has become a global conflict over whether social media platforms should be treated like addictive products and regulated more strictly.
