US EditionSocial Media Verdicts Spur New Momentum for Kids Online Safety Push
A Los Angeles jury ruled Meta responsible for 70% and YouTube 30% of $3 million damages for harm caused by addictive platform features to a minor.
- On Wednesday, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent for addictive platform design, awarding $6 million in damages with Meta bearing 70% of the liability and YouTube 30%.
- Plaintiffs bypassed Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act by framing the claim around product design rather than user-generated content, allowing the jury to assess platform architecture as a "substantial factor" in the harm.
- Twenty-Year-Old KGM, known as Kaley, testified that her near-constant social media use "really affected my self-worth," while jurors determined the companies acted with malice, opening the door to punitive damages.
- Separately, a New Mexico jury found Meta liable on Tuesday for endangering children, awarding $375 million in damages; Meta said they "respectfully disagree" with the verdict and would weigh their options.
- These concurrent rulings signal that juries are prepared to hold tech firms accountable for design-related mental health tolls, with two further bellwether trials expected in the same Los Angeles courthouse.
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Social media verdicts spur new momentum for kids online safety push
{beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story Social media verdicts spur new momentum for kids online safety push Back-to-back verdicts against Meta and Google’s YouTube sent a warning shot to Big Tech this week, marking the first time juries found the social media platforms liable for their impact on kids and teens online. © Kayla…
Instagram and YouTube were found guilty by a California court for developing addictive features for young people for their platforms. This unprecedented decision could pave the way for thousands of similar cases in the United States and have repercussions in foreign jurisdictions.
Meta Platforms Falls 3%: 3 Reasons the Platform Addiction Ruling Could Be Its Biggest Legal Threat Yet
Quick Read Meta Platforms (META) shares fell to $529 and change after a jury found Meta 70% liable for social media addiction, awarding $3M to a 20-year-old plaintiff. Alphabet (GOOGL) stock also declined after the company was found 30% liable for YouTube’s design practices. The ruling implicates the entire social media sector’s design practices and arrives as Meta Platforms faces deteriorating investor sentiment and elevated legal uncertaint…
Taylor Lorenz: Is social media responsible for bad parenting?
In a precedent-setting verdict this week, a Los Angeles jury held Meta and YouTube responsible for addicting a young woman to their services and exacerbating her mental health struggles. The jury recommended the two companies pay $6 million to the plaintiff, now 20, identified in court documents as Kaley or KMG. The verdict came a day after a New Mexico jury found that Meta harmed the mental health of children, failed to protect them from sexual…
After two jury verdicts against social media companies, it’s time to re-examine your kids’ tech use
The rulings against YouTube and Meta present an excellent chance for parents to rethink and reset how their kids interact with social media, says expert Kara Alaimo.
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