US courts hold Big Tech liable for harms

U.S. courts have ordered Meta and Google to pay damages, finding that their social media platforms encouraged addictive use that harmed minors. In a separate ruling, another court imposed heavy penalties on Meta over allegations that Facebook and Instagram knowingly concealed child sexual exploitation. The decisions reflect a growing push to hold dominant U.S. tech companies accountable for ethical and legal failures.

A Los Angeles jury sided with a 20-year-old woman who said she began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at 9 and later struggled to stop, citing algorithms designed to drive prolonged engagement. The jury ordered Meta and Google to pay a combined $6 million in damages. The plaintiff argued that features such as “likes,” notifications and appearance-altering filters fueled compulsive behavior. The ruling marks the first time a U.S. court has recognized corporate liability for designing addictive algorithms for profit.

In a separate case, a New Mexico jury ruled in favor of the state government, finding that Meta failed to protect children from harms including the spread of child sexual abuse material. The court ordered the company to pay $375 million in damages.

South Korea faces similar challenges tied to social media algorithms and the spread of illegal content. Last year, 68 percent of Korean adolescents used social media, and 40.1 percent of those aged 10 to 19 were classified as at risk of smartphone overdependence. Those in the high-risk group reported higher levels of depression and anxiety than their peers. The “Nth Room” case exposed the distribution of child sexual exploitation material through overseas platforms, while deepfake crimes that manipulate the images of acquaintances into explicit content continue to surface.

Governments worldwide are stepping up their responses. In December, Australia blocked social media access for users under 16, and more than 10 European countries, including France and the United Kingdom, are considering similar measures. In South Korea, however, the Korea Communications Commission has indicated it will announce countermeasures in the first half of the year but has yet to present a clear policy direction.

Holding U.S. tech giants accountable remains a complex task for Seoul, given the risk of trade friction with Washington, which strongly supports its domestic firms. Even so, safeguarding the mental health of young people from harmful online environments should be a priority. South Korea needs to begin substantive discussions in step with recent U.S. court rulings and regulatory efforts in the European Union.