Alabama Lawmakers Take Action on Social Media Harms

Two landmark court rulings spur state leaders to address online safety and child protection

Mar. 29, 2026 at 5:22pm

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A pensive, cinematic painting of a lone smartphone on a desk, the device casting long shadows in the warm, golden light, evoking a sense of contemplation about the impact of technology on modern life.The landmark court rulings against social media giants have sparked renewed efforts by Alabama lawmakers to address the harms of online platforms, especially for vulnerable young users.Montgomery Today

This week, two high-profile lawsuits against major social media companies resulted in landmark rulings, finding that platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube knowingly designed their services to be addictive and harmful to young users. The verdicts have opened the door for more litigation against the tech giants, and have also prompted Alabama lawmakers to take action on the issue of online safety, particularly for children.

Why it matters

As concerns grow nationwide about the mental health impacts of social media, especially on young people, state attorneys general have played a key role in bringing cases against the tech companies. The recent court losses for the social media giants represent a shift in momentum, and Alabama's candidates for attorney general are now debating how best to protect children online and hold platforms accountable at the state level.

The details

The two cases decided this week found that Meta (the parent company of Instagram and Facebook) and YouTube designed their services to be addictive, while another case in New Mexico concluded that Meta knowingly harmed children's mental health and hid what it knew about child sexual exploitation. Though the verdicts don't mandate sweeping changes, the losses for the social media companies open the door to more litigation across the country.

  • On Wednesday, the landmark rulings against the social media giants were announced.
  • Last April, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sued TikTok for 'exploiting children, addicting them to harmful content and lying about the safety of its platform.'

The players

Steve Marshall

The current Alabama Attorney General, who is term-limited and running for U.S. Senate. Marshall has sued TikTok over concerns about the platform's impact on youth mental health.

Pamela Casey

The Blount County District Attorney and Republican candidate for Alabama Attorney General, who has made online safety a key priority and has appeared on national TV programs to discuss the issue.

Jay Mitchell

A former Alabama Supreme Court Associate Justice and Republican candidate for Alabama Attorney General, who has emphasized the state's role in protecting children online.

Katherine Robertson

The chief counsel to current Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and a Republican candidate to replace him, who has discussed the state's collaborative efforts with other Republican AGs to take on big tech companies.

Jeff McLaughlin

The Democratic candidate for Alabama Attorney General, who could not be reached for comment on this issue.

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What they’re saying

“Every company can't be your top priority. We choose the companies that we feel like we have the best data on, that's Alabama specific, to establish our standing, and we have friends that choose different ones, and we all work together. It is a critically important collaborative effort, and I'm the one that has those relationships. I'm a phone call away from getting 25 states on anything I want to do.”

— Katherine Robertson, Chief Counsel to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall

“Our AG should have been over at the Legislature 10 years ago saying we have to do something to protect our children.”

— Pamela Casey, Blount County District Attorney

“It's so, so difficult for parents, really exhausting, just trying to keep up with the technology and trying to keep your kids from working around then. In many cases, you don't get any help from the platforms or from the device manufacturers, so parents need help, parents need help in protecting their kids.”

— Jay Mitchell, Former Alabama Supreme Court Associate Justice

What’s next

The judge in the New Mexico case against Meta is expected to decide on potential penalties or remedies in the coming weeks, which could set a precedent for future lawsuits against social media companies.

The takeaway

The recent court losses for major social media platforms have energized state-level efforts to protect children online, with Alabama's attorney general candidates debating different approaches to holding tech companies accountable and providing more support for parents. This issue is likely to remain a key focus for lawmakers and law enforcement in the months and years ahead.