Meta and Google Found Liable for User Addiction in Landmark Legal Ruling
A landmark legal ruling in the United States has found social media giants Meta and Google liable for causing harm to users, including triggering addiction through features like the 'infinite scroll'. The jury awarded damages of $3 million, equivalent to approximately £2.2 million, in a case that marks a significant precedent for holding technology companies accountable for user welfare.
Jury Decision on Negligence and Harm
After more than 40 hours of deliberation across nine days, a California jury determined that both Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and Google, which owns YouTube, were negligent in the design or operation of their platforms. The jury specifically highlighted the 'infinite scroll' feature as a key element claimed to foster addiction in users. This feature allows for an endless supply of content, which lawyers argued was designed to 'hook' young users.
The jury also concluded that each company's negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to a 20-year-old woman, identified as KGM or Kaley in court documents. Kaley testified that her use of social media as a child led to addiction and exacerbated her mental health struggles. She was awarded the multimillion-dollar sum in compensatory damages.
Details of the Case and Testimony
This first-of-its-kind lawsuit aimed to hold social media platforms responsible for harm to children using their services. Jurors listened to about a month of arguments, testimony, and evidence, including from the plaintiff herself. Kaley stated she began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, spending 'all day long' on social media during her childhood.
Lawyers representing Kaley, led by Mark Lanier, successfully argued that specific design features—such as infinite feeds, autoplay functions, and notifications—were intentionally crafted to engage and retain young users. Testimony included appearances from Meta leaders Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri, though YouTube's CEO, Neal Mohan, was not called to testify.
Implications and Pending Punitive Damages
The verdict is set to increase, as the jury found that the companies acted with malice or highly egregious conduct. This means they will reconvene to hear new evidence and decide on punitive damages, which could significantly raise the total financial penalty. Meta and Google-owned YouTube were the remaining defendants after TikTok and Snap settled before the trial began.
This ruling underscores growing concerns about the impact of social media on mental health, particularly among young people, and sets a legal benchmark for future cases involving technology addiction and corporate responsibility.
