A jury in California has found Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube liable in a landmark case involving alleged harm caused to a child through prolonged social media use.
The case, heard in Los Angeles, resulted in a $3 million award to the plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman who argued that early exposure to platforms such as Instagram and YouTube contributed to addiction and mental health challenges.
Jurors concluded that both companies were negligent in the design and operation of their platforms, finding that features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and notifications contributed to prolonged usage.
The jury also determined that the companies acted with malice, paving the way for additional punitive damages to be decided in a subsequent phase of the trial.
Legal experts say the verdict is significant as it forms part of a growing wave of litigation challenging how social media platforms design their products, particularly in relation to younger users.
The case also highlights evolving interpretations of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a law that traditionally shields tech companies from liability for user-generated content. In this instance, the lawsuit focused on platform design rather than content, allowing it to proceed.
Both companies have denied the claims and are expected to appeal the decision.
