The Slot Machine in Your Pocket: A Jury Puts Algorithmic Addiction on Trial

This episode explores a landmark jury verdict finding Meta and Google liable for negligence in the *design* of their social media platforms, not just user content. It details how this bellwether trial, representing thousands of similar cases, successfully bypassed Section 230 by applying a product liability theory, arguing that features like infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations constitute defectively designed products causing mental health harm. Listeners will learn about this significant legal shift and the specific design elements now under intense scrutiny.