Meta and Google Held Liable in Landmark U.S. Case Over Social Media Harm to Children

A jury in Los Angeles has found Meta (Instagram) and Alphabet (Google/YouTube) negligent for designing social media platforms that are harmful to the mental health of young people.

According to the court's verdict, Meta has been ordered to pay $4.2 million in damages, while Google is liable for $1.8 million. Although these amounts are relatively small for the tech giants, the case is considered a critical "bellwether" (test case) for thousands of similar lawsuits currently consolidated in California courts.

The plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman identified as Kaley, argued that features such as the "infinite scroll" were intentionally designed to be addictive, causing her to struggle with social media addiction from a young age. The jury confirmed that both companies were negligent in their platform design and failed to provide adequate warnings about the potential psychological dangers of their apps.

During the trial, high-ranking executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, provided testimony. However, internal documents presented to the jury suggested that the corporations prioritized profit and user engagement over safety measures. Both Meta and Google have stated they disagree with the verdict and plan to file an appeal.

This landmark ruling has already reignited discussions in the U.S. Congress regarding the urgent need for new comprehensive legislation to regulate social media platforms and protect minors online.