A jury in Los Angeles delivered a landmark verdict in a case focused on the impact of social media on mental health. Meta and Google, the owner of YouTube, were found responsible for creating addictive platforms that harmed a young user.
The plaintiff, identified as Kaley, was awarded a total of $6 million – $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages. The jury concluded that the companies acted with “malice, oppression, or fraud,” pointing to deliberate conduct that harmed users.
Under the ruling, Meta is responsible for 70% of the damages, while Google will cover the remaining 30%. The case has potential to be very important one in the near future, as hundreds of similar lawsuits related to the impact of social media on children and teenagers are currently moving through U.S. courts.
During the trial, it was argued that the platforms were designed to maximize user engagement. Lawyers pointed to features such as infinite scrolling as mechanisms that can drive addictive behavior, particularly among younger users.
Kaley began using Instagram at the age of nine and YouTube at six. In her testimony, she said that over time she withdrew from family interactions and spent most of her time on social media. By the age of 10, she was experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and was later diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder.
Meta and Google disagree with the verdict and have announced plans to appeal. Meta stated that “Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.” Google, in turn, said that YouTube is “a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site.”
The ruling could carry significant weight going forward, as courts may look to it when deciding similar cases. At the same time, several countries are already working on restrictions around minors’ access to social media, and cases like this may accelerate changes in how these platforms operate.