Jury finds Meta and YouTube negligent for addictive design impacting youth

A jury at the Los Angeles Superior Court has ruled that Meta and YouTube are liable for designing addictive platforms that harmed a young user. The case involved a 20-year-old plaintiff, identified as Kaylee or KGM, who began using YouTube at age six and Instagram at age nine. The jury determined the companies acted with negligence and failed to warn users about the risks, which allegedly led the plaintiff to suffer from depression, self-harm, body dysmorphia, and social phobia. While some reports cite a total compensatory award of 6 million dollars, others mention 3 million dollars, with Meta and YouTube ordered to pay specific shares. The trial lasted six to seven weeks, with deliberations spanning over eight days. Similar claims against Snap and TikTok were settled prior to the trial. This verdict sets a potential legal precedent for social media platforms regarding their responsibility toward minors.