Colorado Woman Celebrates Verdicts Against Meta, YouTube After Son's Fentanyl Death

Kimberly Osterman says social media companies must be held accountable for harms to children on their platforms.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 4:27am

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A Colorado woman whose 18-year-old son died from a fentanyl-laced pill he bought through social media is celebrating recent verdicts against Meta and YouTube. Kimberly Osterman says the rulings open the door for companies to be held responsible for harms to children on their platforms, which she says prioritize profits over safety. Osterman is part of a group advocating for new legislation to require social media platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent online harm to minors.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing concerns over the role social media platforms play in enabling access to dangerous drugs and other harmful content that can lead to tragic outcomes for young users. The verdicts against Meta and YouTube demonstrate a shift toward holding these companies accountable for the design choices that prioritize engagement over user safety, especially for vulnerable populations like teenagers.

The details

Osterman's son Max died in 2021 after purchasing a fentanyl-laced pill he connected with through Snapchat. She is now pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit separate from the recent cases. This week, juries in Los Angeles and New Mexico found Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children on their platforms, while Snapchat's parent company Snap Inc. settled a similar case. Osterman is part of a group advocating for the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require social media platforms to implement safeguards to protect minors.

  • Max Osterman died in 2021 at age 18.
  • In 2023, the drug dealer who sold Max the fatal fentanyl pill was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
  • This week, juries in Los Angeles and New Mexico issued verdicts against Meta and YouTube.

The players

Kimberly Osterman

A Colorado woman whose 18-year-old son Max died from a fentanyl-laced pill he bought through social media. She is celebrating recent verdicts against Meta and YouTube and is part of a group advocating for new legislation to protect children online.

Max Osterman

Kimberly Osterman's 18-year-old son who died in 2021 after purchasing a fentanyl-laced pill he connected with through Snapchat.

Sergio Guerra-Carrillo

The man who sold the fatal fentanyl-laced pill to Max Osterman, sentenced to 6 years in prison in 2023.

Meta

The parent company of social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram, found liable this week for harms to children on its platforms.

YouTube

The video-sharing platform found liable this week for harms to children on its platform.

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What they’re saying

“The truth is out, and it's time that they are held accountable for the design of the platforms. They put profits over safety.”

— Kimberly Osterman

“You think your kids are safe in their home, in their bedroom, but that's not the way it is with the current status of social media.”

— Kimberly Osterman

What’s next

Osterman hopes to see social media companies implement strict age verification technology and other guardrails to prevent minors from accessing their platforms. The recent verdicts are expected to open the door for more lawsuits and regulations targeting social media companies' responsibility for harms to children.

The takeaway

This tragic case underscores the urgent need for social media platforms to prioritize user safety, especially for vulnerable young users, over profits and growth. The verdicts against Meta and YouTube demonstrate a growing willingness to hold these companies accountable and demand meaningful changes to protect children online.