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Meta And YouTube Are Found Negligent Of Curbing Social-Media Addiction
Scrolling addiction
A watershed social media trial has ruled against Meta and YouTube, with a jury finding the companies liable for a young woman’s addiction to their platforms.
The Big Picture: It’s no secret that social media companies design algorithms for maximum engagement, despite the harms they can cause users. That addictiveness affects minors the most, which is why countries around the world have banned or are exploring bans on platforms for users under a certain age. The new verdict out of a California court could provide more ammunition for upcoming federal rulings.
Behind The Ruling: A young woman who goes by the initials KGM took Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap to court, claiming she became addicted to social media after starting to use it at just six years old — which led to depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.
A jury agreed.
They ruled in favor of her argument that “social media is a product that should be held to product liability standards, not a platform where Section 230 shields company executives from liability for design choices,” per Axios.
The jury awarded her $3 million in compensation and recommended an additional $3 million in punitive damages.
TikTok and Snap had already settled, paying the plaintiff undisclosed sums.
Meta has already said it plans to appeal the decision.
Last Post: For roughly two decades, social media companies have enjoyed broad protections for how their platforms are designed and what content is fed to users. But with a jury in New Mexico ruling just two days ago that Meta must pay $375 million for failing to protect minors from sexual conversations with its AI chatbots, the tide may be changing.
It wouldn’t be surprising if more individuals alleging social media addiction join forces in a class-action lawsuit. It looks like top social media execs may need to prepare for many more trips to Washington.
Next Lawsuit: With a federal case brought by attorneys general, school districts, municipal governments, and families set to go before a jury in June, the California decision may serve as an important precedent for how that case is decided.
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.