Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl denied motions for a new trial on Tuesday, according to court documents.

The ruling means a March jury verdict awarding $6 million in damages will remain in place while both companies pursue appeals.

The case was brought by a 20-year-old California woman identified in court records as K.G.M., also known as Kaley.

She told jurors she began using YouTube at the age of six and Instagram at nine, and later developed anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts.

Her lawyers argued that features built into the platforms, including algorithmic recommendations, beauty filters, endless scrolling and push notifications, encouraged compulsive use and contributed to her mental health issues.

After hearing the evidence, the jury found both companies negligent and concluded they acted with malice, oppression and fraud.

Jurors awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and a further $3 million in punitive damages, bringing the total award to $6 million.

Meta was assigned 70% of the liability, amounting to $4.2 million, while YouTube was held responsible for the remaining 30%, or $1.8 million.

The trial attracted attention because it was the first to reach a verdict among more than 1,600 related lawsuits filed across the United States by young people, families and school districts.

The litigation accuses social media companies of designing products that encourage addiction among children and teenagers while contributing to mental health problems.

Several senior technology executives testified during the proceedings. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg spent about eight hours on the witness stand and was questioned about internal company documents showing that Instagram had four million users under the age of 13 in 2015.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri also testified and acknowledged that spending 16 hours a day on the platform could be “problematic.”

Meta said it “respectfully disagrees” with the verdict and plans to appeal. The company argued that teenage mental health is influenced by many factors and cannot be linked to a single app.

Google, which owns YouTube, also intends to challenge the ruling. The company argued that the case “misunderstands YouTube” because it views the service as a streaming platform rather than a social media network.

As it stands, lawmakers and child safety advocates are currently pushing for stronger protections for young users online, including uncompromising age-verification requirements, expanded parental management and changes to platform design.

The new plans, called Instagram Plus, Facebook Plus and WhatsApp Plus, are launching globally and will give users access to extra features for monthly fees ranging from $2.99 to $3.99.

Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus will each cost $3.99 per month, while WhatsApp Plus will cost $2.99 monthly.

Meta said the subscriptions are aimed at users who want more tools for customisation, audience engagement and account management across its apps.

Instagram Plus includes features such as Story rewatch counts, unlimited audience lists, extended Story visibility beyond 24 hours, anonymous Story previews and weekly Story spotlight boosts.

Subscribers will also get profile customisation tools including custom fonts, app icons, extra profile pins and animated “Super Heart” reactions.

Facebook Plus offers many of the same features, with a focus on profile expression and audience engagement.

WhatsApp Plus is centred on messaging and personalisation. Subscribers will have access to custom ringtones, app themes, premium stickers, more pinned chats and list customisation tools.

The new Plus plans will not replace Meta Verified, its existing paid verification service focused on identity verification, impersonation protection and customer support.

At the same time, the company is testing another subscription programme under a new brand called “Meta One”, covering creators, businesses and Meta AI users.

For Meta AI, the company will begin testing two plans next month. Meta One Plus will cost $7.99 per month, while Meta One Premium will cost $19.99 monthly.

According to Meta, the Premium tier will allow access to more advanced processing for complex requests, alongside expanded image and video generation features across its apps.

The AI subscriptions will first launch in Singapore, Guatemala and Bolivia.

Meta is also preparing professional subscription plans for creators and businesses in markets including Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Thailand and Bangladesh.

The Meta One Essential plan, priced at $14.99 per month, includes a verified badge, impersonation protection and an upgraded links page for directing users to websites and social profiles.

The more expensive Meta One Advanced plan will cost $49.99 monthly and adds tools designed to improve visibility and audience growth across Facebook and Instagram.

Subscribers on the Advanced tier will be able to appear higher in search results, receive stronger promotion in feeds and use a bold “Follow” button on Reels. The plan also includes advanced analytics, scheduling tools, account-sharing features for moderators and alerts when other users repost their content.

Meta said the long-term goal is to bring all subscription products together under the Meta One brand.

The company has looked for new sources of revenue as growth across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp slows in several markets. Subscription services also arrive as Meta continues spending heavily on artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Investors reacted positively to the announcement, with Meta shares growing nearly 3% on Wall Street following the rollout.

Meta now joins companies including Snapchat and X in offering paid subscription tiers, though its strategy combines consumer features, creator tools and AI services within one broader subscription system.

The company confirmed the test on Monday, introducing the subscription plan called Meta’s Instagram Plus.

It is currently being tried in a small number of countries, although the company has not released a full list.

With this subscription, users can watch Stories without appearing on the viewer list. They can also see how many times their own Stories have been rewatched.

This enhances privacy for users, allowing people to create multiple audience lists for Stories.

Instead of relying on the usual “Close Friends” option, users can group followers and decide who sees each post. That adds more flexibility, particularly for users who share different content with different circles.

Subscribers can keep a Story live for 48 hours instead of the usual 24 and also highlight one Story each week, pushing it to the front so more followers see it.

On top of that, the subscription introduces animated “Superlikes” and a search tool that lets users quickly check if a specific person viewed a Story.

Pricing depends on the country. In Mexico, it costs MX$39 per month. In Japan, the price is ¥319, while users in the Philippines pay PHP 65 monthly. That places it roughly between $1 and $2, making it cheaper than similar offerings from other brands.

The test puts Instagram in closer competition with Snapchat, whose Snapchat+ service has grown to more than 25 million subscribers. It also overlaps slightly with paid features on X, although those focus more on verification and account perks.

Meta says this new plan is separate from Meta Verified, which targets creators and businesses. Instagram Plus is aimed at everyday users who want better management over how they post and interact, not minding a subscription.

Still, not everyone is convinced. Some users have questioned the need to pay for features they believe should be free. Others point to the growing number of digital subscriptions they already manage.

Advertising still brings in most of Meta’s income, but the company is testing new ways to earn directly from users. Instagram Plus is one of those experiments.

The cover began in November 2024 with every active rider on the platform automatically enrolled. The policy covers accidental medical expenses, temporary disability and income support if a rider cannot work after an accident.

For a sector built on speed, this is an outstanding initiative. Riders keep Nigeria’s delivery apps running, but most operate as self-employed workers with limited protection.

Chowdeck, founded in October 2021, has grown and expanded across cities. It serves over two million customers and works with thousands of food and hospitality businesses. But like many platforms in the gig economy, its riders shoulder daily risks on busy roads.

Across Nigeria, riders working for platforms such as Bolt, Uber, Jumia Food and Chowdeck typically earn between ₦80,000 and ₦120,000 a week. Most are classified as independent workers. That means no paid leave, no pensions and, until recently, little structured insurance.

A 2026 survey found that 64% of location-based gig workers said income from platforms made a good difference to their household finances. The work is important, so is the risk.

Umar Nasir, head of Operations at Chowdeck, said: “riders are a critical part of everything we do at Chowdeck. This partnership with MyCoverGenius is about more than just insurance – it’s about setting a new benchmark for how delivery platforms in Africa should protect and support their people.

“We want every Chowdeck rider to feel secure knowing that their wellbeing is just as important as the meals and packages they deliver every day.”

Adebowale Banjo, chief executive officer at MyCoverGenius, said the company’s mission has always been to make insurance accessible, relevant, and impactful for everyday Africans and partnering with Chowdeck ensures “we’re not only extending protection to thousands of hardworking riders, but also demonstrating how digital platforms can integrate insurance in ways that directly improve lives.”

The timing is another important aspect. Nigeria’s 2026 tax reforms are drawing gig workers into the formal tax net. Riders and freelancers now face compliance obligations that did not apply to many of them before. However, most still lack the benefits tied to traditional employment.

That gap has led to issues about fairness in the fast-growing gig economy. Platforms depend on riders, but riders usually absorb the shocks when accidents happen or demand drops.

Globally, delivery and ride-hailing firms have begun to use welfare benefits to attract and retain workers. Insurance, in particular, is becoming a point of difference.