Why the Meta Verdicts Are a Big Deal (And What It Was Like to Testify)

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Center for Humane Technology

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4.8 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 26 March 2026

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Meta and Google have been found liable for addictive design and failing to protect children and Aza took the stand as a witness. Is this the Big Tobacco moment for social media? Tristan and Aza discuss the verdicts, what the companies knew and when, and why the critical phase is still to come.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey everyone, this is Tristan Harris, and welcome to your undivided attention.
0:08.9	Today, we're going to be talking about two verdicts that were handed down against big tech
0:13.2	companies in two major lawsuits. One was in California, where meta and Google were found to have
0:18.9	been negligent and failed to warn users about the addicted design of their products.
0:23.0	And that trial involved a young woman who alleged these products contributed to her deteriorating mental health and body dysmorphia.
0:29.5	And in the other case, in New Mexico, META was found liable for failing to protect children from exploitation and abuse on their apps.
0:38.5	And actually, our very own Azar Raskin of this podcast, testified at the trial.
0:42.9	Hey, Azai.
0:43.8	Hey, Tristan.
0:45.1	So we all know in the 1990s, there was a moment when there was a series of big cases
0:49.8	holding the big tobacco companies accountable for the harms of their toxic products.
0:55.3	And we really feel like this might be the big tobacco moment for social media
0:58.8	and represents a real opportunity not just to hold these companies accountable with fines,
1:02.6	but actual injunctive relief and design changes that would create a better future.
1:07.1	So today I wanted to take a moment to talk about the New Mexico trial
1:09.5	because you were involved in it and because it involved a lot of real details about how the companies operated underneath the hood, how they thought about user safety, beyond the verdict and the damages.
1:19.5	So, Aza, you went to New Mexico. Tell us what happened here when Mr. Raskin went to Santa Fe.
1:27.4	When Mr. Raskin went to Santa Fe, I had to buy a suit.
1:32.6	But this case was brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torres back in December
1:39.3	2023.
1:40.5	And what's significant is that instead of trying to tackle this via Section 230, which if listeners remember is the rule that says that platforms are not responsible for the content that users post, instead the Attorney General went after META for violating New Mexico's Unfair Trade Practices Act for failing to protect children on their apps,
2:01.7	Facebook and Instagram, from abuse and exploitation.
	...

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