After nine days and more than 40 hours of deliberation, a Los Angeles jury delivered a landmark verdict finding Instagram (Meta) and YouTube (Google) liable for intentionally designing their platforms to “hook” young users.  The court found that both platforms were engineered to encourage addictive behavior, awarding the plaintiff $3 million in compensatory damages. Responsibility for the award was split between the tech giants, with Meta assigned 70% of the liability and Google covering the remaining 30%.  It is about time.

     The case centered on a 20-year-old Californian identified as “Kaley” (or KGM) to protect her privacy.  She testified that the platforms’ addictive designs fueled her depression and thoughts of self-harm. While both companies denied the claims — arguing that their platforms are safe and equipped with robust parental controls — the jury’s decision marks a significant legal shift in how social She testified that the platforms’ addictive designs fueled her depression and thoughts of self-harm. While both companies denied the claims — arguing that their platforms are safe and equipped with robust parental controls — the jury’s decision marks a significant legal shift in how social media design is held accountable.  Meta also opposed the decision, stating, “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options.”

     Nonetheless, jurors found that Meta and Google acted with “malice, oppression, or fraud,” resulting in punitive damages on top of the $3 million total compensatory damages.  TikTok and Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, were also originally named as defendants — though they settled ahead of the trial for undisclosed sums, leaving Meta and YouTube remaining in the case.  Kaley had testified that her social media use began with YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, telling the jury that checking Instagram was the first thing she did every morning and her last action before sleep. This constant engagement, she explained, led to significant struggles at school, at home, and with her mental health.

     Her legal team, led by Mark Lanier, focused on specific design features like YouTube’s “autoplay,” which allows videos to play endlessly and automatically. Kaley shared that she has since been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia. When asked if she had experienced these conditions prior to using social media, she testified, saying “No, I didn’t'.