New Delhi, March 25 -- A jury at the Los Angeles County Superior Court has found Meta Platforms and YouTube negligent in a closely watched social media addiction case.

The verdict followed claims by a 20-year-old woman that her early and prolonged use of social media platforms contributed to addiction and worsened her depression.

The case is part of a broader wave of litigation against companies including Meta Platforms and YouTube, alleging their products are intentionally engineered to maximize user engagement at the expense of young users' mental health.

Attorneys for the companies have denied the allegations, arguing that their platforms - including Meta's Instagram - are not designed to be harmful or addictive.

The trial, held in...