From: Inside Story
Is social media addictive?
Meta is accused of harming young users with its addictive features.
![The case’s outcome could set the stage for a wave of comparable lawsuits facing social media giants including Meta [Mike Blake/Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-02-18T185549Z_625422236_RC2GOJAFDT1W_RTRMADP_3_SOCIALMEDIA-TRIAL-1771447061.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![A process server attempts to give papers to Meta CEO and Chairman Mark Zuckerberg as Zuckerberg arrives at Los Angeles Superior Court ahead of the social media trial tasked to determine whether social media giants deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive to children, in Los Angeles, on February 18, 2026. [Patrick T. Fallon/AFP]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AFP__20260218__982Z9HR__v1__HighRes__MarkZuckerbergTakesStandInSocialMediaAddictionT_cropped-1771439774.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![A screenshot from social media shows the aftermath of a massive sinkhole that formed in Shanghai, China on Feb. 11, 2026.[@YesterdayBigcat/X]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-1770924555.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![The cases comes amidst a wave of 40 lawsuits brought against Meta alleging the social media giant prioritized profits over safety for kids [File: Dado Ruvic/Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-02-09T103924Z_565968379_RC2VPGAKTI7X_RTRMADP_3_EU-META-PLATFORMS-AI-ANTITRUST-1770666518.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
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From: NewsFeed
Trump won’t apologise despite backlash over video depicting Obamas as apes
Trump has refused to apologise for a now-deleted video that depicted Michelle and Barack Obama as apes.
Published On 8 Feb 2026
US FCC notice to broadcasters prompts concerns on curtailing free speech
Critics say such actions and increasing corporate ownership of media is causing a backsliding in US media freedom.
EXPLAINER
Spain v social media giants: What’s the big dispute about?
Executives from X and Telegram have lashed out at Spanish prime minister over social media ban for minors.
Musk labels Spain PM ‘tyrant’ after Madrid proposes social media curbs
Musk’s scathing attack on PM Pedro Sanchez comes after he announces strict new regulations for social media platforms.
From: The Stream
Are we in a literacy crisis?
Are we raising a generation that can’t comprehend simple sentences?
Published On 3 Feb 2026
French authorities raid X offices in Paris, summon Musk in cybercrime probe
Investigation into social media platform looks at complicity in crimes including Holocaust denial and child pornography.
Global News Insight to reinvent journalism for the digital age: Director general
AJ chief warns algorithms fuel polarisation, unveils ‘Core Project’ at Web Summit Qatar.
![Sheikh Nasser bin Faisal bin Khalifa Al Thani, Director General, Global News Insight Media Network spoke during the Web Summit Qatar 2026 [Sam Barnes/Sportsfile for Web Summit Qatar via Getty Images]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/GettyImages-2259167467-1770118984.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
Gaza-based journalist Bisan Owda regains TikTok account after outcry
Award-winning Palestinian journalist regains account with 1.4 million followers after surprise removal from platform.
From: NewsFeed
Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda regains TikTok account after outcry
Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda, known for sharing videos from Gaza, says she’s regained access to her TikTok.
Published On 29 Jan 2026
From: NewsFeed
France moves to ban social media for users under 15
France is moving closer to banning social media for users under the age of 15, over growing concerns over mental health.
Published On 29 Jan 2026
