A Los Angeles jury has found Meta and Google liable for intentionally creating addictive social media platforms that harmed a young woman’s mental health, awarding her $3 million in compensatory damages in the first trial of its kind in the US. The decision found Meta responsible for 70% of the harm and YouTube for 30%. Potential punitive damages could reach $30 million under California law.
The plaintiff, Kaley, now 20, testified about using YouTube from age six and Instagram from age nine without age verification barriers. She described spending entire days on social media, withdrawing from her family, and developing anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia. She began using Instagram filters that altered her appearance almost immediately.
The verdict was delivered a day after another jury in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $375 million for not protecting children from predators on its platforms. These rulings mark the first time juries have held social media companies financially liable for harms to young users.
Kaley’s lawyers argued that features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic content feeds were designed to maximize engagement, with internal Meta targets focused on acquiring young users. Testimony from former Meta executives and internal research linked these platforms to negative mental health outcomes in teens.
Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri testified, acknowledging issues but defending the company’s actions. Meta disagreed with the verdict and is evaluating options, while Google plans to appeal, stating the case mischaracterizes YouTube.
Kaley’s case is part of over 1,500 consolidated federal cases against Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok. Snap and TikTok settled with Kaley before the trial, leaving Meta and Google as defendants. The New Mexico case, though separate, reinforced claims that Meta’s platforms endangered children.
Another federal trial is scheduled for June in California, with more cases pending. Comparisons have been made to the 1990s tobacco industry lawsuits. The immediate financial impact on Meta and Google is minimal, but the precedential significance is substantial. The Los Angeles verdict concluded that social media platforms were designed to be addictive, causing measurable harm. This finding will be cited in future cases, shifting the burden onto Meta and Google as companies now found liable.
Mike Proulx, a research director at Forrester, called the verdicts a “breaking point” between social media companies and the public, though whether it changes how platforms are built remains to be seen. The harmful features identified are integral to the business model, and removing them would require fundamentally changing the companies.