In a significant development, tech giants Meta and YouTube were found liable by a California jury on Wednesday, March 25th, in a landmark social media addiction case. The verdict resulted in a court order for the companies to pay a staggering USD 6 million, equivalent to approximately IDR 100 billion. The lawsuit was brought forward by a 20-year-old woman named Kaley and her mother, who alleged that the platforms intentionally designed their services to foster addiction from Kaley’s childhood. During the trial, Kaley testified that her social media usage had spiraled “out of control” and become unmanageable.
According to reports from the LA Times, the Los Angeles jury attributed 70 percent of the responsibility to Meta and 30 percent to YouTube for the adverse effects experienced by the plaintiff. The total compensation awarded to Kaley and her mother, encompassing both compensatory and punitive damages, amounted to the aforementioned 6 million US dollars. Notably, other major platforms, TikTok and Snap, were initially involved in this case but opted to settle out of court before the trial commenced, avoiding a public verdict.
Adding to Meta’s mounting legal challenges, the company faced a separate and even more substantial ruling in New Mexico on Tuesday, March 24th. Meta was found guilty of failing to adequately protect children from sexual predators on its platforms and was ordered to pay a colossal USD 375 million, approximately IDR 6.34 trillion. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who filed the lawsuit in 2023, emphatically accused Facebook and Instagram of becoming “breeding grounds” for sexual predators, as reported by TMZ.
In response to these adverse judgments, Meta has unequivocally stated its intention to appeal both rulings, asserting that the company “respectfully disagrees with this verdict.” Similarly, Google, the parent company of YouTube, has also indicated plans to appeal the California decision concerning social media addiction, highlighting a unified stance among the tech giants against these recent legal setbacks.
The repercussions of these US verdicts are already extending globally, prompting Indonesia’s Law Minister, Supratman Andi Agtas, to announce a review of potential additions to regulations aimed at preventing social media addiction among children. This crucial re-evaluation is a direct consequence of Meta and YouTube being found culpable by US courts for fostering social media dependency in young users.
Currently, the Indonesian government is championing “The Indonesian Proposal for a Legally Binding Instrument on the Governance of Copyright Royalty in Digital Environment” through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Minister Supratman clarified on Thursday, March 26th, that this proposal’s original intent was to regulate royalty distribution, particularly ensuring fair remuneration for the media industry from digital platforms. However, in light of the recent US court decisions, he stated, “Regarding restrictions like those in the American Court’s ruling against YouTube and Meta, we will assess whether they should be incorporated into our proposed instrument.” He also pointed out that the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) has already enacted a government regulation, PP Tunas (Government Regulation on Youth), which prohibits children from engaging with social media, emphasizing that its effective implementation is now more critical than ever, especially following the US rulings.
Further illuminating the industry’s internal perspectives, an astonishing revelation emerged during the social media addiction lawsuit against Meta and YouTube in Los Angeles, California: internal documents showed an Instagram employee referring to the platform as “drugs.” This shocking detail was unearthed by The Guardian from internal corporate records, which are central to a massive lawsuit accusing Meta and YouTube of deliberately engineering their platforms to be addictive for children and adolescents.
Lawyer Julia Duncan highlighted one particular document, illustrating the internal perception of their own product. “An employee called Instagram ‘drugs,’ and another remarked, ‘haha, basically we’re like drug dealers,'” Duncan cited. This sweeping lawsuit involves approximately 1,600 plaintiffs, including 350 families and 250 school districts, who contend that social media addiction has led to severe mental health issues such, as depression and self-harm, in children. During the trial, which commenced in late February, plaintiffs meticulously pointed to design features such as infinite scroll, autoplay video, and recommendation algorithms as mechanisms specifically crafted to keep users perpetually glued to their screens. Despite these damning internal comments and detailed accusations, the defendant companies have vehemently denied the claims, asserting that the allegations in the lawsuit are “untrue” and maintaining that they have consistently provided a safe experience for their young users.
The burgeoning crisis of social media addiction is now a tangible threat, underscored by the recent US court verdicts against Meta and YouTube, which confirmed the platforms’ addictive impact on adolescent mental health. This global challenge is particularly evident in Indonesia, a nation grappling with extensive digital engagement.
According to the “Global Digital Reports 2026” published by We Are Social, Indonesia ranks 16th globally for the longest daily social media usage duration, with the average Indonesian user spending a remarkable 3 hours and 7 minutes per day on these platforms. This significantly surpasses the global average of 2 hours and 39 minutes daily. Leading the world in social media consumption is Kenya, with an astonishing average of 5 hours and 11 minutes per day, followed by the Philippines (4 hours 50 minutes), Brazil (4 hours 10 minutes), Nigeria (4 hours 9 minutes), and South Africa (4 hours 3 minutes).
Further insights from We Are Social’s “Indonesia Digital Reports 2026” reveal that Indonesia boasts 180 million social media users, marking a substantial 26% increase from the previous year’s 143 million users. Over the past decade, social media adoption in Indonesia has surged by an astounding 133 percent. Women constitute the majority of users at 56.3 percent, while men account for 43.7 percent.
Delving into specific platforms, TikTok dominates daily usage in Indonesia, with users spending an average of 1 hour and 53 minutes per day on the app. The messaging giant WhatsApp closely follows at an average of 1 hour and 52 minutes daily. YouTube secures the third spot with 1 hour and 14 minutes, while Facebook and SnackVideo each record an average of 1 hour and 9 minutes of daily usage. These figures represent the average time active users dedicate to each application daily.
Diverse motivations drive individuals to remain actively engaged with social media. The primary reason cited by most users (56.3%) is to connect with friends and family. A significant proportion (55.8%) use it to fill leisure time, while others seek inspiration (48.4%), stay informed on current issues (45.9%), and discover new content (44.9%), highlighting the multifaceted role social media plays in daily Indonesian life amidst growing concerns about its addictive nature.