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Prince Harry<\/a> and Meghan Markle<\/a> issued a bold statement following a landmark US court ruling against major tech giants. On Wednesday, a jury found Meta and Google, the parent company of YouTube, liable in a case brought by a woman who claimed her childhood addiction to social media worsened her mental health struggles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The ruling marks a significant moment<\/a> in a growing wave of legal challenges against tech companies, and the jury recommended the now 20-year-old plaintiff be awarded $6 million in damages, a decision both companies have said they will appeal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Reacting to the verdict, Harry and Meghan said: “This verdict is a reckoning. For too long, families have paid the price for platforms built with total disregard for the children they reach.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The statement continued: “We stand with every parent and young person who refused to be silenced. Today, the truth has been heard and precedent has been set.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “Let this be the change, where our children\u2019s safety is finally prioritised above profit.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Before the verdict was announced, a spokesperson for the Sussexes described the trial as a “turning point” for tech companies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The case centered on claims that platforms owned by Meta, including Facebook, Instagram<\/a> and WhatsApp, alongside YouTube, were deliberately designed to maximize user engagement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Meanwhile, both companies pushed back with their arguments. Meta spokesperson said “teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app,” while Google argued the verdict misunderstood YouTube, insisting it is “a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n