US jury finding tech giants are liable for harm caused to a woman who says she became addicted to their platforms could signal turning point in American public opinion

Amy Neville, mother of Alexander, Mary Rodee, mother of Riley Basford, lawyer Laura Marquez-Garrett, and CEO of Heat Initiative Sarah Gardneroutside the court after the jury found Meta and Google liable in a test case accusing Meta and Google's YouTube of harming children's mental health through addictive social media platforms, in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday. Photo: Getty

Amy Neville, mother of Alexander, Mary Rodee, mother of Riley Basford, lawyer Laura Marquez-Garrett, and CEO of Heat Initiative Sarah Gardneroutside the court after the jury found Meta and Google liable in a test case accusing Meta and Google’s YouTube of harming children’s mental health through addictive social media platforms, in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday. Photo: Getty

Meta and Google’s landmark loss in a California civil jury case last week could be a significant boost for Irish and European regulators.

It may result in authorities such as Coimisiún na Meán and the Data Protection Commission coming under less pressure, with fewer direct threats from US bodies over travel and visas, than was being proposed by US lawmakers such as Secretary Of State Marco Rubio.