Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala on December 06, 2022 in New York City.Credit : Mike Coppola/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reacted to a jury verdict finding Meta and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction case
The ruling orders $3 million in damages to be paid by the companies, and could lead to additional punitive penalties
The couple continues to advocate for online safety through their Archewell Foundation

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are speaking out after a major legal decision involving some of the world’s biggest tech platforms.

Following a Los Angeles jury’s ruling that found Meta and YouTube liable for negligence in a landmark social media addiction case, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared a powerful response, calling the outcome a turning point for families.

“This verdict is a reckoning,” the couple said in a statement to PEOPLE. “For too long, families have paid the price for platforms built with total disregard for the children they reach. We stand with every parent and young person who refused to be silenced. Today, the truth has been heard and precedent has been set.”

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex speak onstage at The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit: Mental Wellness in the Digital Age during Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival 2023 on October 10, 2023 in New York City.Bryan Bedder/Getty

The case was brought by a young woman who alleged that the platforms were designed to be addictive, which had an impact on her well-being as she grew up. Jurors ultimately agreed with the plaintiff, finding that the companies’ actions played a substantial role in causing harm.

As part of the ruling, Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay $3 million in compensatory damages, with Meta responsible for 70% of the total. Jurors also determined that Meta and Google should pay punitive damages tied to findings of malice or fraud, with the amount still to be decided.

In a longer statement shared on their official website, Harry and Meghan described the verdict as part of a broader shift in accountability for tech companies.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Memorial.Emil Cohen for The Archewell Foundation

“Today’s verdict in Los Angeles and yesterday’s ruling in New Mexico are landmark victories for families, advocates, and young people everywhere,” they said, adding that “justice has caught up to Big Tech.”

“The harm isn’t in parenting, it’s in product design,” they said, arguing that the systems behind social media platforms were “built to exploit, not protect.”

Following the verdict, Meta and YouTube issued their own statements disputing the jury’s findings. “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options,” a Meta spokesperson said. “Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.”

A Google spokesman echoed that, saying, “This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media.”

The couple has long spoken publicly about the dangers social media can pose to young people. Through their foundation, recently renamed Archewell Philanthropies, they have made online safety — particularly the toll social media can take on children and teens’ mental health — a central focus of their advocacy.

That mission became increasingly urgent through Archewell’s Parents’ Network, an initiative created to support families whose children have been harmed by online platforms and to connect them with others facing similar heartbreak.

In February, Prince Harry met with families who have taken legal action against platforms like Instagram and YouTube. In a video shared by the BBC, he told the families, “Thank you for doing everything that you’ve done. Thank you for telling your stories over and over again. Truth, justice and accountability — those are the three things that will come from this.”

The couple has also brought that message into the public eye through a series of high-profile initiatives. During a visit to New York City last year, they unveiled the Lost Screen Memorial, featuring 50 smartphones each displaying the lock screen photo of a child whose life was cut short due to the harmful effects of social media. The display was created in collaboration with parents from the Archewell’s Parents’ Network to call for stronger protections online.

“These are families that we have been working with for several years,” Meghan said at the event, which PEOPLE attended. “No matter how polarized the world is, or what people may or may not agree on, one thing that we can all agree on is that our children should be safe. All of our children should be safe, and I think tonight, all of these stories solidify that.”