In a groundbreaking legal decision with far-reaching implications for the technology sector, a California jury has delivered a decisive verdict against Meta and YouTube, holding both companies fully liable for intentionally designing addictive platforms that caused substantial mental harm to a young user.
The jury determined following an extensive seven-week trial in Los Angeles Superior Court that both tech giants acted negligently in their platform designs, were aware of the dangerous nature of these designs, failed to adequately warn users of associated risks, and directly caused significant psychological injury to the plaintiff.
The case centered on Kaley, a now 20-year-old California woman who, along with her mother, initiated legal proceedings against Meta, Google’s YouTube, Snap, and TikTok. The lawsuit alleged these platforms deliberately engineered addictive experiences that hooked her during childhood, ultimately leading to diagnosed anxiety, body dysmorphia, and suicidal ideation. Snap and TikTok previously settled their portions of the case before trial proceedings commenced.
After more than eight days of deliberation, jurors apportioned responsibility between the remaining defendants, assigning Meta 70% liability and YouTube 30% for the plaintiff’s damages. The court ordered the companies to pay $3 million in compensatory damages, with additional punitive damages potentially forthcoming.
This verdict arrives amid escalating legal challenges for major technology firms. Both companies are scheduled to face trial later this year in the first of hundreds of similar lawsuits filed by school districts and state attorneys general nationwide—a legal campaign some commentators have likened to ‘Big Tech’s Big Tobacco moment.’
The decision follows closely on another adverse ruling for Meta, where a New Mexico jury found the company liable just one day prior for violating state consumer protection laws and failing to safeguard children from sexual predators on its platforms.
Meta has indicated it will challenge the verdict, with a spokesperson stating, ‘We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options.’ Google’s YouTube has not immediately responded to requests for comment. Both companies had previously denied the lawsuit’s core allegations, contested the notion that their platforms could be addictive, and highlighted recent safety enhancements including parental oversight tools and enhanced teen privacy protections.