A jury in Los Angeles has ordered Alphabet and Meta to pay $3 million in damages. The case centered on a lawsuit by a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted at a young age to YouTube and Instagram. The jury concluded that the companies acted negligently in designing their platforms and failed to adequately warn users about potential risks. A decision on additional punitive damages is still pending.
The case is considered a landmark ruling that could influence thousands of similar lawsuits. Meta has rejected the verdict and is reviewing its legal options, while Google has not immediately commented. Shares in both companies showed little reaction to the decision. Other platforms involved, including Snapchat and TikTok, reached out-of-court settlements with the plaintiff before the trial began. The proceedings focused primarily on platform design rather than content, which made it easier to establish liability.
The lawsuit is part of a broader debate in the United States over the impact of social media on children and teenagers. In the absence of comprehensive federal regulation, many states have enacted their own laws, including measures on age verification and smartphone use in schools. Additional cases are ongoing, including a multi-state lawsuit scheduled for trial this summer in federal court in Oakland. Separately, a jury in New Mexico found that Meta violated state law by misleading users about safety risks and failing to adequately prevent abuse on its platforms.
Source: Firstpost