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A Los Angeles jury has awarded $3 million in damages to the plaintiff in a groundbreaking social media addiction lawsuit against Google and Meta, with additional punitive damages to be determined. The judge indicated that next steps will consider whether the products caused physical harm or overlooked user health concerns.
The case centers on a 20-year-old woman who claims she became addicted to YouTube and Instagram at a young age, attributing her dependency to their highly engaging design. The jury concluded that both Google and Meta were negligent in how their apps were designed and failed to warn users about potential dangers.
The lead attorney for the plaintiff issued a statement asserting, “This verdict is a definitive signal — from a jury to the entire industry — that accountability is here.”
Following the verdict, Meta’s stock increased by 1% and Alphabet’s by 0.2%, with shares remaining relatively stable. Meta has announced its disagreement with the ruling and is “evaluating our legal options,” according to a company spokesperson. Google has also indicated plans to appeal.
This case highlighted design aspects of the platforms—rather than content—making it more challenging for the companies to evade liability. Other tech giants, like Snap and TikTok, were listed as defendants but settled with the plaintiff beforehand; the settlement details remain confidential.
In recent years, major U.S. tech companies have faced growing scrutiny over child and adolescent safety. The focus has increasingly shifted to legal proceedings and state laws, although federal comprehensive regulation of social media remains elusive. Last year, at least 20 states passed laws addressing social media use by minors, such as restrictions on cellphone use in schools and age verification requirements for accounts.
Trade groups like NetChoice, backed by companies such as Meta and Google, are opposing some of these measures in court, particularly age verification laws. A separate lawsuit involving multiple states and school districts aims to hold tech companies accountable for social media addiction and related issues and is scheduled for trial this summer in Oakland, California. A similar case is also set to begin in Los Angeles in July, involving platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.
In a related case, a New Mexico jury recently found Meta liable under state law for misleading users about Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp’s safety and for enabling child exploitation on those platforms.
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