Social media algorithms on trial as legal and operational risks mountA high-profile trial underway in California is challenging how social media companies design and deploy their algorithms. Meta, Alphabet and ByteDance are among the defendants facing claims that their platforms are built to encourage addiction and cause mental harm. The case stands out by targeting the underlying recommendation systems rather than user content, potentially weakening long-standing legal protections that shield platforms from liability. If courts begin holding firms accountable for how algorithms shape user behaviour, it could trigger a wave of litigation and accelerate regulation. Operational risk was also in focus this week as TikTok suffered a major outage in the US.