Two verdicts in two days: How American courts are rewriting the rules for Big Tech and children

The verdicts in a case against Meta and another against Meta and Google have the potential to change how social media works – and it has little to do with financial penalties.

By: Carolina Rossini, UMass Amherst, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 27, 2026

Words: 1,579

Last Updated: 4 months ago

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By Carolina Rossini, UMass Amherst

Within 48 hours, the legal landscape governing social media and children shifted in ways that will take years to fully understand and verify.

On March 24, 2026, a Santa Fe jury ordered Meta to pay US$375 million for violating New Mexico’s consumer protection laws. The next day, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google’s YouTube negligent in the design of their platforms, awarding almost $6 million in damages …

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