A 2012 internal YouTube email stating the platform's goal was 'viewer addiction' has surfaced in court, adding fuel to a landmark lawsuit that saw a jury award $6 million in damages split between Meta and YouTube.
Tech giants are increasingly citing AI as the reason behind mass layoffs, but legal filings, stock surges and executive bonuses suggest the real motivation may be far more traditional.
A landmark US jury verdict found Meta and YouTube deliberately built addictive platforms, awarding $6 million in damages. With Australia's ban already in force and UK parliamentary battles heating up, the pressure on Big Tech to protect young users has never been greater.
Keir Starmer has warned social media companies that addictive features targeting young people will face government action, as a landmark US court ruling awards $6 million in damages against Meta and Google.
A Los Angeles jury has found Meta and YouTube liable for designing addictive platforms that harmed a young user's mental health, awarding $6 million in damages and setting a legal precedent that could reshape the entire tech industry.
Meta reversed its decision to shut down Horizon Worlds in VR just 24 hours after announcing the closure, but the reprieve is extremely limited. Existing games stay while all future development shifts to mobile.
Nvidia forecasts a trillion dollars in AI chip orders at GTC 2026, Tesla alienates its most loyal fans with an FSD policy switcheroo, and Meta kills then unkills Horizon Worlds VR in under 24 hours.
Meta is removing end-to-end encryption from Instagram DMs after May 8, 2026, blaming low adoption for a feature it deliberately buried behind four taps and never advertised. Privacy experts warn the move could set a dangerous global precedent for encrypted messaging.