A Los Angeles jury ruled Wednesday that social media giants Meta and YouTube are liable for harming a young woman's mental health, ordering them to pay a combined US$6 million in damages. The case marks the first time a social media company has been found liable for causing addiction in a minor and could influence thousands of similar lawsuits pending across the United States. Both companies have said they will appeal.
The plaintiff, identified only as "Kaylee," is a 20-year-old woman who testified that she began watching videos on Google-owned YouTube at age six and started using Meta's Instagram at age nine—never blocked by either platform due to her age. She accused the platforms of employing attention-grabbing features, such as infinite scrolling, that encouraged compulsive use, leading to anxiety, depression, self-harm, social isolation, and damaged family relationships. She was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder at 13.
The 12-member Los Angeles Superior Court jury found overwhelmingly that Meta and Google were negligent in the design of their apps and failed to warn about the associated risks. Meta was ordered to pay US$4.2 million, while Google must pay US$1.8 million. Half of the total amount will compensate Kaylee for her injuries, with the remainder designated as punitive damages.
Both companies disputed the verdict. Meta argued that teen mental health issues are complex and cannot be attributed to any single app. A Google spokesperson contended that YouTube is a responsible streaming platform, not a social media platform, and said the company plans to appeal.
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