In the span of just 48 hours this week, two separate juries in two different US states delivered verdicts that could reshape the entire social media industry — not because of the dollar amounts involved, but because of what those verdicts legally establish for the first time. On Tuesday, March 24, a jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $375 million for failing to protect children from sexual exploitation on Facebook and Instagram. Less than 24 hours later, on Wednesday, March 25, a jury in Los Angeles found both Meta and Google (YouTube) liable for engineering addiction in young users — finding them negligent in the design of their platforms and awarding a further $6 million in damages. Two days. Two states. Two juries. Both pointing at the same conclusion: that Big Tech can no longer hide behind the legal shields it has relied on for nearly three decades. This is the story of what happened, why it matters far beyond the headline numbers, and what comes next for the s...
Twitter has recently changed its verification system, requiring users to pay a monthly fee of $8 to subscribe to its 'Twitter Blue' service if they want to keep or get their blue tick badges. This decision has sparked controversy and backlash from many users, especially celebrities who have lost their verified status. One of them is American actor Charlie Sheen, who is known for his roles in films such as Platoon, Wall Street, and The Three Musketeers, and TV shows such as Spin City and Two and a Half Men. Sheen has been vocal about his displeasure with the new policy, and has repeatedly asked Twitter CEO Elon Musk to restore his blue check. On Saturday, Sheen tweeted a sarcastic message to Musk, saying "I'm sorry your fancy rocket exploded in spectacular fashion. I'm certain you'll build an even bigger and more explody one. Now, may I please have my blue check back? It would mean a lot to me. Thank you in advance." dear @elonmusk i’m sorry your fan...