A Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google-owned YouTube liable for negligence and failing to warn users about platform dangers. This verdict concludes a landmark social media addiction trial.
Jurors determined that platform designs substantially harmed a 20-year-old woman. The plaintiff alleged that using Instagram and YouTube from a young age caused addiction and severe mental health issues.
The jury awarded the plaintiff $3 million in damages following more than a week of deliberations. This case serves as a bellwether for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies.
TikTok and Snap were original defendants but settled before the trial began.