A Jury Has Determined Instagram and YouTube Responsible for Kid Addiction — With 2,000 Additional Cases on the Horizon

A jury in Los Angeles ruled that Meta and Google's parent company, Alphabet, acted negligently by creating social media platforms detrimental to young users, awarding a total of six million dollars in a pivotal case. Meta was deemed 70 percent responsible while Google was found 30 percent liable, resulting in compensatory damages of three million dollars along with another three million in punitive damages. The individual bringing the case forward, known as Kaley, reported developing an addiction to YouTube at the age of six and to Instagram by nine, which contributed to feelings of depression and thoughts of self-harm. This ruling is expected to set a precedent for around 2,000 combined lawsuits targeting social media firms in California's courts. On the previous day, a jury in New Mexico mandated that Meta pay 375 million dollars for violations concerning child safety. Snap and TikTok reached settlements before the trial commenced.