Juries Beat Congress to the Punch on Social Media Child Safety
LA and New Mexico juries hold social media companies liable for harming kids as federal lawmakers stall on online safety legislation.
Courts are doing what Congress won't. Two juries — one in Los Angeles, one in New Mexico — have found social media companies accountable for harming young users. The verdicts land as federal legislators continue to fumble efforts at passing comprehensive online safety laws.
The rulings represent a significant escalation in the growing backlash against Big Tech's impact on children. While lawmakers debate and stall, the courtroom is becoming the de facto regulatory arena for platform accountability.
The twin decisions signal that legal liability, not legislation, may be the real force pushing social media companies to change how they handle younger users. Juries are clearly losing patience faster than politicians are finding consensus.
For platforms, the message is blunt: if Washington won't act, local courts will. And juries aren't known for being gentle.