A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday found Alphabet and Meta Platforms liable for $3 million in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit, potentially setting a precedent for thousands of similar cases across the United States.
The case involved a 20-year-old woman who claimed she became addicted to social media apps from a young age due to their attention-grabbing design. Unlike many previous lawsuits focused on content, plaintiffs targeted platform design, making it harder for the tech companies to escape liability.
Snap Inc. and TikTok were also named as defendants but settled before trial, with terms undisclosed. Following the verdict, shares of Meta rose 1% and Alphabet saw a slight increase. A Meta spokesperson said the company “respectfully disagrees with the verdict and is evaluating legal options,” while Google did not immediately comment.
The ruling comes amid growing criticism of major tech companies over child and teen safety, as Congress has yet to enact comprehensive social media regulation. Meanwhile, at least 20 US states passed legislation last year addressing children’s social media usage, including school cellphone rules and age verification requirements, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Industry group NetChoice, backed by Meta and Google, is challenging these age verification laws in court. Other legal battles are ongoing, including a federal case in Oakland this summer involving multiple states and school districts, and a state trial in Los Angeles in July targeting Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat, according to plaintiff attorney Matthew Bergman.
Separately, a New Mexico jury found Meta had violated state law in a lawsuit filed by the attorney general, alleging the company misled users on the safety of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp and enabled child sexual exploitation on its platforms.
This wave of litigation highlights an ongoing shift in the US from policy debate to judicial scrutiny of tech companies’ responsibility for user wellbeing, especially for minors.
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