26/03/2026
๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ง๐๐ฏ๐ฒ/๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ด๐น๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ.
A child downloads an app at 10.
By 13, it is a habit.
By 16, it is part of her emotional life.
By 20, the damage is no longer easy to dismiss.
On March 25, a Los Angeles jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages, and then added $3 million more in punitive damages, taking the total to $6 million. Meta was assigned 70% of the damages, and YouTube 30%. The verdict is being watched closely because it could influence thousands of similar lawsuits still pending. (Reuters)
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ?
Because when we hear the word addiction, most of us still think of drugs, alcohol, or ni****ne. We think of what we can see. What we can smell. What leaves obvious signs.
But some addictions are quieter.
No bottle.
No smoke.
No needle.
Just a young mind caught in a loop of scrolling, comparison, craving, sleep loss, emotional dependence, and slow changes in confidence, attention, and mood.
That is why some are beginning to compare these cases to Big To***co, not because they are identical, but because the pattern feels familiar: a product normalized for years, growing evidence of harm, and accountability arriving late. (The Washington Post)
This case was not just about content. It was about design: the features, loops, and systems that allegedly kept young users engaged while risks were minimized. Reuters reports the jury found both Meta and Google negligent in design and that they failed to warn users about the risks. (Reuters)
The verdict may be American.
The warning is global.
It is time to start taking internet addiction and social media addiction as seriously as other addictions, especially when children and teenagers are involved.
