A jury in Los Angeles, California, has found Alphabet's Google and Meta liable for the addictive design of their social media platforms, ordering them to pay $3 million in damages. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday after over 40 hours of deliberation across nine days, following a trial that began more than a month ago with opening statements.
Among the witnesses who testified were Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, although YouTube CEO Neal Mohan was not called to the stand. The plaintiff, a 20-year-old referred to as Kaley (KGM), was awarded $3 million in compensation. She stated that she became addicted to social media at a young age, which exacerbated her mental health issues, having started using YouTube at age six and Meta-owned Instagram at age nine.
Kaley's legal team alleged that the social media giants employed designed features, such as notifications and autoplay functions, intended to hook young users. In a statement shared with Al Jazeera, the plaintiff's lawyers said, "Today's verdict is a historic moment — for Kaley and for the thousands of children and families who have been waiting for this day. She showed extraordinary courage in bringing this case and telling her story in open court."
The judge instructed jurors not to consider the content of posts and videos Kaley viewed on the platforms, as tech companies are shielded from legal responsibility for user-posted content under Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. Meta consistently argued that Kaley's mental health struggles were separate from her social media use, often citing her turbulent home life.
YouTube focused less on Kaley's medical records and more on her platform usage, contending that YouTube is not a social media site but a video platform akin to television, and pointed to her declining engagement as she aged. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda told Al Jazeera, "We disagree with the verdict and plan to appeal. This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site."
Snap and TikTok were previously named in the lawsuit but settled with the plaintiff on undisclosed terms before the trial commenced. This verdict is the latest in a wave of litigation targeting social media companies, with a federal social media addiction case scheduled to begin in June in Oakland, California.
Legal experts note that the ruling will shape future proceedings. Entertainment lawyer Tre Lovell stated, "The fact the jury found Meta and Google liable represents that these cases have real exposure to the social media giants and are going to frame how future litigation will proceed." Professor Eric Goldman of Santa Clara University School of Law echoed this assessment.
Despite the ruling, Meta's stock did not decline, coinciding with CEO Mark Zuckerberg's appointment to a new White House advisory council. Alphabet's stock, however, trended downward following the verdict.
Source: www.aljazeera.com