Google and Meta found liable in U.S. social media addiction case

A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday found Alphabet’s Google and Meta liable for $6m in damages in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit, a ruling that could influence thousands of similar cases.

The verdict, delivered on 25 March, is expected to shape claims against major technology firms, with at least half of U.S. teenagers using YouTube or Instagram daily, according to the Pew Research Center.

The jury found Meta liable for $4.2m in damages and Google for $1.8m.

The case centred on a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to the platforms at a young age due to their attention-grabbing design. Plaintiffs focused on platform design rather than content, making it more difficult for the companies to avoid liability.

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Snap and TikTok were also named as defendants but reached settlements with the plaintiff before the trial began. The terms were not disclosed.

Shares in Meta Platforms rose about 1%, while Alphabet edged slightly higher following the verdict, indicating limited market reaction.

A Meta spokesperson said: “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options.” Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mounting criticism

Large technology companies in the U.S. have faced growing criticism over the past decade regarding the safety of children and teenagers online. The debate has increasingly shifted to courts and state governments, as the U.S. Congress has yet to pass comprehensive legislation regulating social media.

At least 20 states enacted laws last year addressing children’s use of social media, according to the non-partisan National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks such measures.

These laws include restrictions on mobile phone use in schools and requirements for users to verify their age before opening social media accounts. NetChoice, a trade association backed by companies including Meta and Google, is challenging age-verification rules in court.

A separate social media addiction case brought by several states and school districts is expected to go to trial this summer in federal court in Oakland, California.

Another trial is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in July, according to Matthew Bergman, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. It will involve Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat.

Separately, a New Mexico jury on Tuesday found that Meta had violated state law in a case brought by the state’s attorney general, who accused the company of misleading users about the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and of enabling child sexual exploitation on its platforms.

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Meta Google Technology Social media YouTube tiktok DigitalAddiction