Meta and YouTube found liable on all charges in landmark social media addiction trial
CBSN
A jury on Wednesday found that Meta and YouTube are liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users, a landmark decision that could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies. Edited by Alain Sherter and Aimee Picchi In:
A jury on Wednesday found that Meta and YouTube are liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users, a landmark decision that could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.
The jury voted to award $3 million in damages to the lead plaintiff in the case, a woman named Kaley — identified in court filings by her initials "KGM" — who alleged that using YouTube and Instagram from a young age led to addictive use of the platforms and contributed to her mental health problems, including depression, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts.
The decision caps a weekslong trial that put Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri on the stand to defend their products in a case that drew comparisons to the tobacco industry lawsuits in the 1990s. Jurors deliberated in a Los Angeles courtroom for over a week, at one point telling the judge that they were struggling to reach a consensus on one of the defendants.
Kaley brought the case against Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, and Google-owned YouTube in 2023. TikTok and Snapchat parent Snap were named in the original complaint, but settled before the trial began in late January.
During her testimony, Kaley, now 20 years old, described spending all day on social media and getting an emotional "rush" from likes and notifications, keeping her glued to her phone.
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