A Los Angeles jury found Meta and Alphabet’s Google liable in a social media addiction trial, awarding US$6 million in damages to a young woman who sued the companies.
This verdict could enable further lawsuits against social media platforms over their design and impact on users’ mental health, setting a precedent for over 1,600 plaintiffs involved in similar cases.
The jury determined Meta was liable for US$4.2 million of the damages, with Google responsible for US$1.8 million. Both companies stated disagreement with the ruling and plan to appeal.
The plaintiff, identified as Kaley or KGM, testified she became addicted to Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube as a minor, leading to mental health issues including depression, self-harm, body dysmorphic disorder, and social phobia.
Meta argued the plaintiff’s struggles stemmed from a turbulent home life, while Google described YouTube as a streaming platform, not a social media site.
Jurors deliberated for 40 hours, finding both companies negligent in platform design and failing to warn users of risks. Meta bore approximately 70% of the responsibility, and Google 30%.
TikTok and Snap were initially named in the lawsuit but settled prior to the trial. Google spokesperson Jose Castañeda said the verdict misrepresents YouTube as “a responsibly built streaming platform.” A Meta spokesperson stated teen mental health is “profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.”
This follows another recent verdict where a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay US$375 million for harming children’s mental health and safety in violation of state law.
The Los Angeles trial is the first in a consolidated group of cases in California against Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Snap, involving more than 1,600 plaintiffs, including over 350 families and 250 school districts.
KGM’s case is the first of more than 20 “bellwether” trials designed to gauge jury sentiment and establish legal precedent. The next bellwether case is scheduled for July, with a series of federal lawsuits set for trial in San Francisco in June.
