Harry and Meghan Support Social Media Harm Trial

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued a statement Friday supporting families involved in a landmark Los Angeles trial accusing social media companies of contributing to harms against children, as jurors began deliberating the case against Meta and Alphabet's YouTube.

The trial, held at the Spring Street Courthouse, centers on claims by a 20-year-old plaintiff identified in court as Kaley G.M. She alleges that her early and extensive use of social media platforms led to addiction-like behaviors, exacerbating her depression and suicidal thoughts. The case focuses on the design and operations of the platforms themselves, rather than content posted by other users. After about a month of testimony from addiction experts, therapists, platform engineers and company executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, lawyers presented closing arguments last week. Jurors are now deciding whether Meta and YouTube were negligent and if that negligence substantially contributed to the plaintiff's harm. If liability is found, they will then determine damages.

Snap and TikTok, originally named as defendants, settled with the plaintiff before the trial began, leaving Meta and YouTube as the...