Historic social medial addiction ruling against Meta, Google could open legal floodgates
A Landmark Ruling Holds Meta and Google Liable for Teen Social Media Addiction
A groundbreaking decision that found Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta and Google responsible for exacerbating teen social media addiction could signal the beginning of a substantial legal crackdown on Big Tech, according to critics interviewed by The Post.
After nine days of deliberations, a Los Angeles jury ruled in favor of a 20-year-old woman identified only as “KGM,” who claimed that platforms like Facebook and Instagram had a detrimental impact on her mental health due to her teenage addiction to them.
The woman was granted $3 million in compensatory damages and an additional $3 million in punitive damages, with Meta covering 70% and Google covering 30% of the total.
Critics suggest that this landmark verdict may be just the beginning of a costly ordeal for Meta and Google, as they still face numerous pending lawsuits in federal and state courts that could lead to further penalties. Additionally, pending legislation such as the Kids Online Safety Act on Capitol Hill aims to regulate their conduct.
“The era of Big Tech invincibility is over – this ruling is an earthquake that shakes Big Tech’s predatory business model to its core,” said Sacha Haworth, executive director of the Tech Oversight Project.
“These products were intentionally designed to harm, addict millions of young people, and result in lifelong mental health consequences,” Haworth continued.
Renowned Big Tech critic Jonathan Haidt stated that the legal protection that shielded social media companies from harm is now non-existent, and they will be held accountable for their actions.
Senator Marsha Blackburn hailed the verdict as “a monumental victory for parents, children, families, and survivors,” emphasizing the need for Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act to protect American families.
The legislation aims to prohibit targeted advertising to minors and data collection without their consent, among other measures.
The jury found that Meta and Google had acted with malice or highly egregious conduct in their Wednesday verdict.
The crux of KGM’s case centered on the argument that social media apps were deliberately designed to be addictive, incorporating features like “infinite scroll” and video autoplay.
The high-profile trial included testimonies from Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. Meta attempted to prevent KGM’s lawyers from questioning Zuckerberg about his massive fortune during the proceedings.
Both Google and Meta have expressed their disagreement with the verdict and intend to appeal.
“Teen mental health is complex and cannot be attributed to a single app,” stated a Meta spokesperson. “We will vigorously defend ourselves as each case is unique, and we are confident in our track record of protecting teens online.”
“This case misinterprets YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site,” a Google spokesperson added.
This summer, Meta and Google will face a federal multidistrict litigation in a California court, consolidating over 2,000 pending lawsuits alleging similar misconduct by the social media giants.
A group of school districts and state attorneys general are scheduled for trials in June and August, respectively.
“This verdict sends a clear message that no company is above accountability when it comes to our children,” stated attorneys representing the school districts involved in the KGM case.
The ruling in Los Angeles coincided with Meta’s loss in a separate case in New Mexico, where the company was fined $375 million for violating state law by exposing children to online risks without sufficient parental warnings.
