CTV National News for Wednesday, March 25, 2026: Meta and YouTube found liable for creating platforms to keep minors addicted

·23 min

This episode of CTV National News, anchored by Omar Sachdina, covers a landmark legal ruling against social media giants and other major national stories from March 25, 2026. A California jury found Meta and Google's YouTube liable for designing addictive apps that harmed a young user's mental health. The court awarded $6 million in damages to the plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman identified only as Kaylee, who testified her childhood addiction led to anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Her mother also sued Snap and TikTok, but those companies settled before trial. This verdict follows a separate New Mexico jury finding Meta liable for failing to protect users from child predators just one day prior. The report includes emotional reactions from parents who declared, "Big Tech, your gig is over." In a separate story, the wreckage from the fatal Air Canada crash at New York's LaGuardia Airport has been cleared after three days. The crash killed both pilots, Captain Antoine Fauré and First Officer Mackenzie Gunther, with four passengers remaining hospitalized. Air Canada CEO Michael Russo faces intense criticism and a parliamentary summons for issuing a condolence video almost entirely in English, which the Prime Minister called a lack of compassion and judgment. The report also details a significant shortage of air traffic controllers in Canada, with NAV Canada receiving 49,000 applicants last year but hiring only 500 into a training program that takes up to 36 months. In Manitoba, the government plans to remove the provincial sales tax on prepared grocery items, a move estimated to cost $32 million annually and save families about $100 per year. Federally, the boosted Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit is expected to provide nearly $2,000 to an average family of four in 2026. The newscast also covers an RCMP investigation in Calgary involving former Mayor Jyoti Gondek and others, though the mayor clarified current and former councillors are not the investigation's target. A heartwarming segment highlights Fredericton city councillor Cassandra LeBlanc, who made history by bringing her seven-week-old daughter, Josie, to a council meeting. The episode concludes with a preview of the Toronto Blue Jays' 50th-season celebrations at the Rogers Centre. The tone is formal, urgent, and comprehensive, delivering breaking news and in-depth analysis across a wide spectrum. This episode is ideal for viewers seeking a thorough update on major legal, political, and social developments in Canada and their global connections. Listeners preferring light entertainment or single-topic deep dives may find the broad, rapid-fire news format less engaging.

As heard by us

A brisk national-news hour led by a landmark social-media verdict and rounded out with familiar pressure points.

The hour opens with a sharp social-media verdict: Meta and YouTube were found responsible for deliberately hooking a young user to their platforms and injuring her mental health.

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Why you'd press play

A landmark verdict, gas prices, groceries, and local politics moving fast in one Canadian news hour.

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