In many ways, the week of March 23 was one of the worst in recent memory for both Meta and YouTube, as courts in New Mexico and California ruled that they were found liable for harming young users (read teenage and younger) by using addictive tactics.
Although the actual amounts of damages represent not even pocket change for the tech giants ($6 million in total in the California cases and $375 million against Meta in the New Mexico case), the specter of a tidal wave of similar lawsuits following the same blueprint could deal them a reputational blow similar to the Stop Hate for Profit boycott campaign that swelled up in the summer of 2020.
But here’s the reality, whether you like it or not: That effort spurred a short-term burst of advertisers leaving, but it was in fact short-lived. Within months most had returned in some form or another. And one major holding company executive said he expects little no impact on ad sales this time around.
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