LA jury finds Meta and YouTube negligent in landmark social media addiction trial
The jury awarded about $6 million in total to a 20-year-old plaintiff. The case could set the tone for thousands of similar lawsuits.
What happened
A Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google (owner of YouTube) negligent in a landmark case over social media addiction.
The plaintiff, identified as K.G.M. ("Kaley"), is now 20.
Damages
- Compensatory damages: $3 million, with Meta bearing 70%.
- Punitive damages were added afterwards.
- Totals: about $4.2 million for Meta and $1.8 million for YouTube.
Other details
- TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff before trial.
- The verdict came one day after Meta lost a child-safety case in New Mexico.
- Meta says it disagrees with the outcome, and both companies are expected to appeal.
Why it matters
It is one of the first times a jury has found that social media platforms harmed a young user. It could shape thousands of similar cases across the US.
Founder and editor-in-chief of Kurd Developers. Phone and tech news on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
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