Projecting confidence ahead of the polls, Banerjee asserted that the TMC would secure a comfortable victory. “We will win more than 226 seats in the 2026 assembly polls,” she said. The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday unveiled its candidate list for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections
At least 10 persons charred to death in a truck-bus collision in Andhra PradeshThe accident occurred near Rayavaram village between 6:00 am and 6:30 am, according to preliminary information gathered by the police. Updated on: Mar 26, 2026 8:00 AM IST By Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Share via Copy link At
The new labour laws under the OSH Code, 2020 are set to change how companies manage employee leave, introducing a 30-day carry forward cap, mandatory encashment of excess leave, and stronger safeguards against leave denial—aimed at ensuring workers don’t lose their entitled time off
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Late night streaming feels better with these top 5 bedroom smart TVsFind the best smart TVs for your bedroom with options that balance size, sound, and picture quality
The rules are even stricter for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries. For PMUY consumers, the waiting period has gone up by 20 days, now standing at 45 days. New Delhi: Indian Oil Corporation has revised the mandatory waiting period for households with two-cylinder connections from 25 days
With just days left until submissions close on March 29, the ET AI Hackathon 2026 enters its most decisive stretch. Shortlisted teams are now deep in development, refining prototypes under real constraints. The focus has shifted entirely to execution, where clarity, functionality
Quote of the day, 26 March: “I don't think I'm a very emotional person. I'm a very practical person. I like to keep things simple,” MS Dhoni. Meaning of quoteThis quote from MS Dhoni offers a direct glimpse into his core philosophy.Quote of the day
Priyanka Chopra clicks pictures with fans as she lands in India; heads to Amritsar for ‘another adventure’Priyanka Chopra was recently spotted at the Delhi airport, happily posing for fans and the paparazzi before heading to Amritsar. Mar 26, 2026
Meta and YouTube found liable in landmark social media addiction trial
A Los Angeles jury has handed down an unprecedented win for a young woman who sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media.
Jurors found that Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, owner of YouTube, intentionally built addictive social media platforms that harmed the 20-year old's mental health.
The woman, known as Kaley, was awarded $6m (£4.5m) in damages, a result likely to have implications for hundreds of similar cases now winding their way through US courts.
Meta and Google said separately that they disagreed with the verdict and would both appeal. Meta said: "Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.
We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as every case is different, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online.
A spokesperson for Google said: "This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site."
Jurors found that Kaley should receive $3m in compensatory damages and an additional $3m punitive damages, because they determined Meta and Google "acted with malice, oppression, or fraud" in the way the companies operated their platforms.
Meta will be expected to shoulder 70% of Kaley's damages award, with Google the remaining 30%.
Parents of other children, who are not part of Kaley's lawsuit but claim they also were harmed by social media, were outside the courthouse on Wednesday, as they had been many days throughout the five-week trial.
When the verdict came through, parents like Amy Neville were seen celebrating, and hugging other parents and supporters who had been waiting for a decision.
The LA verdict came a day after a jury in New Mexico found Meta liable for the way in which its platforms endangered children and exposed them to sexually explicit material and contact with sexual predators.
Mike Proulx, a research director for Forrester, said the back-to-back verdicts underline a "breaking point" between social media companies and the public.
In recent months, countries such as Australia have imposed restrictions for children to stop or limit their use of social media. The UK is currently running a pilot program to see how a ban of social media for people aged under 16 may work.
"Negative sentiment toward social media has been building for years, and now it's finally boiled over," Proulx said.
During his appearance before the jury in February, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's chairman and chief executive, relied on his company's longstanding policy of not allowing users under the age of 13 on any of its platforms.
When presented with internal research and documents showing that Meta knew young children were, in fact, using its platforms, Zuckerberg said he "always wished" for faster progress to identify users under 13. He insisted the company had reached the "right place over time".
While Google, as the owner of video-sharing site YouTube, was also a defendant in the case, most of the trial proceedings focused on Instagram and Meta.
Snap and TikTok were also initially defendants, but both companies reached undisclosed settlements with Kaley prior to trial.
As for Kaley's lawyers, they argued that Meta and YouTube had built "addiction machines" and failed in their responsibility to prevent children from accessing their platforms.
Kaley said she started using Instagram aged nine and YouTube aged six, and encountered no attempts to block her because of her age.
"I stopped engaging with family because I was spending all my time on social media," Kaley said during her testimony.
Kaley said she was 10-years-old when she started having feelings of anxiety and depression, disorders for which she would be diagnosed years later by a therapist.
She also started to obsess about her physical appearance and began using Instagram filters that would change the way she looked – making her nose smaller and her eyes bigger – almost as soon as she started using the platform as a child.
Kaley has since been diagnosed with body dysmorphia, a condition which causes people to worry excessively about their physical appearance and prevents them from seeing themselves as others do.
Her lawyers argued that features of Instagram, like infinite scroll, were designed to be addictive.
Meta's growth goals were aimed at getting young people to use its platforms, Kaley's lawyers said.
Using testimony from experts and former Meta executives, they argued the company wanted young users because they were more likely to stick with its platforms for longer stretches of time.
When lawyers for Kaley told Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, that her longest single day of use of the platform stretched to 16 hours, he denied that it was evidence of an addiction.
Instead, he called a teenager spending most hours of the day on Instagram "problematic".
Lawyers for Kaley said Wednesday that the jury's verdict "sends an unmistakable message that no company is above accountability when it comes to our children."
Another case against Meta and other social media platforms over their alleged harms to children is poised to begin in June in California federal court.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: YouTube argues it isn't social media in landmark tech addiction trial Tech giants face landmark trial over social media addiction claims Meta, TikTok, YouTube to stand trial on youth addiction claims Zuckerberg defends Meta in landmark social media safety trial Social media addiction's surprising challenger Kerala seeks public views on curbing social media addiction among children YouTube exec says goal was viewer value not addiction Meta faces New Mexico trial over child-exploitation claims Zuckerberg grilled over underage users at social media trial Meta starts removing under-16s from social media in Australia
A 22-year-old woman from the United Kingdom is thinking about moving to Bengaluru after getting a job offer. Before making a decision, she reached out online to understand what life in the city might be like, especially for someone her age. She shared that her main worries are safety and feeling
Just now
Paresh Raja’s £200,000 watch raised red flags years before £1.3-billion MFS collapseIn 2019, Paresh Raja, the man behind MFS, turned up to meetings wearing a Richard Mille timepiece worth upwards of £200,000. Updated on: Mar 26, 2026 7:11 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link Years before
Just now
The Uttar Pradesh Police has booked All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s state unit chief Haji Shaukat Ali for making allegedly provocative remarks during an Eid event in Meerut, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday. Three of the party’s office-bearers have also been arrested for
Just now
Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party, AIADMK, on Wednesday released its first list of 23 candidates for the State Assembly polls, with party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami set to contest from his home constituency of Edappadi. In Tamil Nadu, the polling will be held in a single phase on April 23 to
Just now
Manchester United boss Marc Skinner knows going to Germany and overturning a 3-2 first-leg deficit against Bayern Munich in the Champions League will test his side like never before. But he refuses to believe it is a task beyond them. Skinner rejected claims his side were naive in not shutting the
Just now
India will champion food security and farmer welfare at the upcoming WTO conference in Cameroon. The nation will advocate for developing economies' policy space in digital trade and investment. Discussions will cover WTO reform, e-commerce, and fisheries subsidies
Just now
Mohamed Salah's long goodbye from Liverpool signals the end of a glorious era and leaves the Premier League giants facing another expensive rebuild. The Egyptian superstar announced on Tuesday that he would be leaving Anfield at the end of the season after a glittering nine-year spell at the club
Just now
As per the report, a senior Congress leader confirmed that the notices were received a few days ago, giving the party limited time to respond. The development has caused concern within the party, with leaders acknowledging that the situation has become more urgent than before.As per the report
Just now
US president Donald Trump says he will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping in China on 14-15 May, after delaying the landmark trip amid the US-Israel war with Iran. This would be the first visit to China by a US president in nearly 10 years. Trump is also set to host Xi in Washington DC later this
Just now
Carlo Ancelotti reacts to Neymar selection debate as Brazil legends rally amid World Cup snub fears Updated on: Mar 26, 2026 7:10 AM IST Written by Aratrick Mondal Share via Copy link Carlo Ancelotti had his say on Neymar World Cup debate Key Takeaways Summary is AI-generated Brazil head coach
Just now
Queen Camilla is to appear in a BBC documentary about the life-changing power of books. The Queen will reflect on the childhood experiences that sparked her passion for reading and reflect on the comfort she still finds in books. In what programme-makers describe as a "special and intimate
Just now
The bombs, the stranded ships and LPG shortages have made it to the headlines. The acid rain, the oil spills and the carbon cost of rerouting ships remain hidden in plain sight. Four weeks ago, the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. Since then
Just now
NCP(SP) leader Rohit Pawar alleged that Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare attempted to seize control of the NCP after Ajit Pawar's death by falsely claiming constitutional amendments to the ECI. Sunetra Pawar reportedly thwarted this plan by writing to the ECI
Just now
State-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) on Wednesday dismissed rumours of petrol and diesel shortages, assuring that fuel supplies across the country remain adequate and supply chains are functioning smoothly. In a public advisory, the company said it is fully operational and committed to
Just now
Samsung Galaxy A57 5G and Galaxy A37 5G mobiles launched in India: Check specs, features and priceSamsung has launched Galaxy A57 and A37 in India, bringing new AI features, camera updates, and long-term software support to everyday smartphone users. Published on: Mar 25
Just now
Trump names Jensen Huang, Mark Zuckerberg to 13-member tech councilThe President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) could ultimately include 24 people. Published on: Mar 25, 2026 7:11 PM IST By HT Business Desk Share via Copy link US President Donald Trump plans to appoint Mark
Just now
Warner Bros. Discovery has officially unveiled the first teaser, title and release date of its much-anticipated Harry Potter television series. Announced at a special event in London marking the launch of HBO Max in the region, the series will debut globally on Christmas Day 2026.Warner Bros
Just now
NHAI to take over MG Road stretch, plans upgrade and interchange at Iffco5.5km corridor to be revamped with repairs and traffic solutions; stretch part of NH148A linking Delhi and Gurugram. Updated on: Mar 26, 2026 7:56 AM IST By Abhishek Behl Share via Copy link The National Highways Authority of
Just now
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina to clash again in Miami Open semi-final Published on: Mar 26, 2026 7:22 AM IST AFP Share via Copy link Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her match against Hailey Baptiste in the quarter finals of the women’s singles at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium (IMAGN
Just now
One player cannot replace Gareth Bale – Wales' greatest is simply irreplaceable – but Harry Wilson is giving the impossible job a pretty good go. It is difficult to overstate the void Bale left. More international goals and appearances than any other Welshman
Just now
US officials are considering a plan to seize Iran’s Kharg Island, a crucial oil export hub through which roughly 90 per cent of the country’s crude shipments pass, according to a Reuters report. The development underscores the widening scope of military options being examined as the conflict
Just now
Dhurandhar: The Revenge isn’t just trending for its box office numbers; it is also giving people a lot to talk about, especially when it comes to its characters. The film has been surrounded by chatter, from being called a “propaganda" film to theories about which real-life personalities
Just now
“My mother is so rare, even her eyes are green. Grace, strength, and love, you are everything,” Sonam Kapoor wrote. Sunita Kapoor celebrated her birthday on March 25, with warm wishes pouring in from family and the film industry. Among them, Sonam Kapoor took a nostalgic trip down memory lane
Just now
The Indian rupee fell to a record low, breaching the 94-mark against the United States dollar. The currency slumped 29 paise to close at a record low of 94.05 as the outflow of foreign funds continued amid the conflict in West Asia. A drop in global crude oil prices and positive sentiments in the
Just now
When we think about sleep hygiene, the conversation almost always centres on the brain, rest, memory, and mental recovery. But there is another organ working just as hard, often with far less attention: the eyes. In an age of constant screen exposure, late-night scrolling, and artificial lighting
Just now
Agnikul Cosmos, an Indian space startup, has achieved a major milestone. They successfully test-fired Agnite, the world's largest single-piece 3D-printed booster engine. This innovation drastically cuts rocket manufacturing time from months to just seven days
Just now
Finance Bill 2026 amendments aim to reduce tax litigation, ease reassessment procedures and improve compliance as India transitions to the new Income-tax Act. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to move a series of amendments to the Finance Bill
Just now
