- Updated: March 26, 2026
- 2 min read
Jury Finds Meta Deliberately Harmed Children for Profit in Landmark Verdict
A New Mexico federal jury has delivered a historic verdict against Meta Platforms Inc., finding the company knowingly harmed children for profit. The $2.7 billion judgment follows a lengthy trial that exposed how Meta’s advertising algorithms and data‑driven practices targeted minors, encouraging excessive screen time and fostering addictive behaviors.
The case, brought by the nonprofit organization Protecting Children from Technology, alleged that Meta’s platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—were designed to exploit children’s attention for advertising revenue. Evidence presented in court highlighted internal documents showing Meta engineers discussing ways to increase engagement among younger users.
During the trial, former Meta employees testified that the company was aware of the psychological harms caused by its products but continued to prioritize growth and profit. The jury concluded that Meta acted with “reckless disregard” for children’s well‑being, resulting in the unprecedented $2.7 billion award, which includes $2.5 billion in punitive damages.
Meta’s legal team has signaled plans to appeal the verdict, arguing that the claims are speculative and that the damages are excessive. The decision, however, marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over tech companies’ responsibility to protect vulnerable users.
Read the full story on the Los Angeles Times website.
For more insights on how technology impacts society, visit our related articles: Technology Ethics, Children’s Online Safety.
Andrii Bidochko
CTO UBOS
Andrii Bidochko is an AI entrepreneur and researcher focused on AI agents, reinforcement learning, and autonomous systems. He writes about the technologies shaping the future of machine intelligence, from frontier models and agent architectures to real-world AI applications.