The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Meta and YouTube harmed a young user with design features that were addictive and led to her mental-health distress, a jury found Wednesday. A New York Times dispatch to The Globe reports that Meta and YouTube must pay $3-million (U.S.) in compensatory damages for pain and suffering and other financial burdens. Meta is responsible for 70 per cent of that cost and YouTube for the remainder. A 20-year-old woman, K.G.M., sued Meta and YouTube, alleging their addictive features, like infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations, contributed to her anxiety and depression, similar to the effects of cigarettes or digital casinos. The jury will mull further to decide what punitive damages the companies should pay for malice or fraud. The verdict in K.G.M.'s case was a major win for the plaintiff. The finding validates a novel legal theory that social-media sites or apps can cause personal injury. It is likely to factor into similar cases expected to go to trial this year, which could expose the internet giants to further financial damages and force changes to their products. TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff for undisclosed terms before the trial started.