ISLAMABAD: A Los Angeles jury has delivered a landmark verdict in favour of a young woman who sued major technology companies over alleged social media addiction during her childhood, marking a significant moment in ongoing legal battles against digital platforms.
Jurors concluded that Meta — the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — and Google, which owns YouTube, deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive, resulting in harm to the mental health of the 20-year-old plaintiff, identified as Kaley.
The court awarded her $6m (£4.5m) in damages, including $3m in compensatory damages and $3m in punitive damages, after determining the companies “acted with malice, oppression, or fraud”. Meta is expected to bear 70% of the damages, with Google responsible for the remaining 30%.
Both companies rejected the verdict and confirmed plans to appeal. Meta stated: “Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as every case is different, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online.”
Meanwhile, a Google spokesperson said: “This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site.”
Similar lawsuits
The ruling is expected to influence hundreds of similar lawsuits currently progressing through US courts. Outside the courthouse, parents of other affected children gathered in support, celebrating the outcome. The verdict followed closely on another decision in New Mexico, where a jury also found Meta liable for exposing children to harmful and explicit content.
During the trial, Kaley testified that she began using YouTube at six and Instagram at nine without age restrictions being enforced. She said her usage escalated significantly, at times spending up to 16 hours a day on social media. “I stopped engaging with family because I was spending all my time on social media,” she told the court.
Kaley further described experiencing anxiety and depression from the age of 10, later diagnosed by a therapist. She also developed body dysmorphia, fuelled in part by the use of appearance-altering filters.
Meta executives
Her legal team argued that features such as infinite scrolling were intentionally designed to maximise user engagement, particularly among young audiences.
Meta executives, including Instagram head Adam Mosseri, disputed claims that heavy usage equated to addiction, describing such behaviour as “problematic”. However, Kaley’s lawyers maintained that the platforms functioned as “addiction machines” and failed to protect children. They said the verdict “sends an unmistakable message that no company is above accountability when it comes to our children.”
The case comes amid growing global concern about the impact of social media on young users, with several countries considering or implementing restrictions. Another major lawsuit against social media companies is scheduled to begin in California in June.
