New Delhi, March 26 -- A California court has delivered a significant ruling on Big Tech's design playbook, finding that Meta Platforms and Google built features that foster addiction among young users. Beyond the $6 million penalty, experts say the finding could prove far more consequential, strengthening regulators globally who are already moving to curb how platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat operate, especially for minors.

With India weighing age-based curbs, the ruling could hasten a broader reset. Mint explains.

On Wednesday, the California Superior Court held that Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and Google, which owns YouTube, deliberately built features that foster prolonged, compulsive use amon...