One day after Meta lost a similar child safety lawsuit in New Mexico, a Los Angeles jury on Wednesday handed the social media giant — along with YouTube — another defeat. In a case arguing that social media platforms played a major role in harming a young woman’s mental health, jurors have sided with the plaintiff, known by her initials, K.G.M., or her first name, Kaley.
The decision means Meta and YouTube will have to pay out $3 million in compensatory damages, with Meta bearing 70% of that cost. More damages may also be awarded, as the jury continues to deliberate further.
The landmark case, taking place in California’s Superior Court in L.A. County, aimed to hold social media platforms accountable for their addictive products, which Kaley, who’s now 20 years old, said contributed to her anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia, and more, in her youth. Lawyers for Meta tried to argue that other factors, like Kaley’s disruptive home life and parents’ divorce, were more to blame for her mental health, not its apps.
But evidence presented in the trial swayed the jury to the plaintiff’s side, as it demonstrated that Meta understood how addictive its platforms could be among teens in particular, and was actively researching those areas and using its findings to increase engagement among this young demographic.
Before this particular case went to trial, TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff.
The new decision — along with others, like yesterday’s ruling in New Mexico — will establish a precedent that social media firms are responsible for the harms their platforms cause, whether that’s their lack of safety measures or their algorithmic recommendations. That could open the doors to a new wave of lawsuits as other plaintiffs also attempt to sue for damages.
