A jury at the Los Angeles County Superior Court has found Meta Platforms and YouTube negligent in a closely watched social media addiction case.
The verdict followed claims by a 20-year-old woman that her early and prolonged use of social media platforms contributed to addiction and worsened her depression.
The case is part of a broader wave of litigation against companies including Meta Platforms and YouTube, alleging their products are intentionally engineered to maximize user engagement at the expense of young users’ mental health.
Part of wider lawsuits involving 1,600 plaintiffs The trial, held in Los Angeles County, is the first in a consolidated group of cases involving more than 1,600 plaintiffs. These include over 350 families and more than 250 school districts.
The proceedings began last month and featured testimony from top executives, including Mark Zuckerberg.
Plaintiffs allege platforms ‘rewired’ children’s behaviour According to the class action complaint, the plaintiffs argued that major platforms fundamentally altered how young users think and behave.
Instagram and Facebook (owned by Meta), YouTube, as well as TikTok and Snap Inc., were accused of having “rewired how our kids think, feel, and behave.”
Plaintiff describes mental health impact The plaintiff, identified as K.G.M., is now 20 but was a minor during the period covered by the lawsuit. She testified that excessive social media use significantly impacted her mental health.
“It really affected my self-worth,” she said in court, describing experiences of depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.
She added that her usage felt compulsive: she “wanted to constantly be on the platforms” and feared missing out if she logged off.
Snap, TikTok settled ahead of trial While Snap and TikTok were initially named as defendants, both companies reached settlements with the plaintiff before the trial began. The terms of those agreements were not disclosed.
Meta and YouTube, however, chose to contest the claims in court, leading to the jury’s negligence finding.
Companies deny allegations Attorneys for the companies have denied the allegations, arguing that their platforms — including Meta’s Instagram — are not designed to be harmful or addictive.
Follows $375 million penalty in New Mexico case The ruling comes on the heels of another setback for Meta in New Mexico, where a separate jury found the company liable for violating state consumer protection laws and harming children’s mental health.
In that case, Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in penalties, though the company has said it plans to appeal the decision.
Growing legal scrutiny on social media firms The latest verdict adds to mounting legal pressure on major tech platforms over their impact on younger users, particularly around allegations of addictive design and inadequate safeguards.
Also Read | New Mexico jury says Meta harms childrens mental health and safety, violating state law