Jury Rules Google and Meta's 'Addiction Machines' Ruined Teen's Life in Landmark Trial

A Los Angeles jury has ruled that Google and Meta's 'addictive' social media platforms harmed a young woman's childhood, the first verdict of its kind against the tech giants.

The plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman named Kaley, said she started using YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine. Despite the age restrictions, she easily accessed both platforms as a minor, according to the BBC report. 'I stopped engaging with family because I was spending all my time on social media,' she testified at court.

Jury Finds Google and Meta Liable in Social Media Lawsuit

Jurors said Kaley should receive a total of £4.5 million ($6 million) in damages, citing that Google and Meta 'acted with malice, oppression, or fraud' in how they operated their social media platforms.

Both companies allegedly attracted younger audiences despite known risks, according to internal documents reviewed during the trial.

Kaley's lawyers argued that Meta and YouTube had created 'addiction machines' that intentionally targeted children. Features like Instagram filters and 'infinite scroll' allegedly distorted users' body images and hooked their attention.

Kaley said she now suffers from anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia as a result of her excessive, unrestricted screen time.

The decision found both companies liable for negligence, by failing to warn users about the dangers of their apps, YouTube and Instagram. Google is expected to pay 30 per cent of the damages, while Meta will shoulder 70 per cent.

Ruling Challenged by Tech Giants

A Google spokesperson said YouTube is 'a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site,' and as such was misrepresented in the trial. Meta argued that cases like Kaley's are unique and should be treated as such. 'Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app,' a company spokesperson stated.

Kaley's lawyers said the verdict 'sends an unmistakable message that no company is above accountability when it comes to our children.' 'We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as every case is different, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online,' the Meta spokesperson responded after the trial.

Appearing to the jury in February, Meta Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg asserted his company's policy on age restrictions, which bans users under 13 from accessing their platforms. When presented with contradicting research and internal documents, Zuckerberg acknowledged flaws in their age-verification systems.

Snapchat and TikTok were named as defendants in Kaley's complaint. Both settled for undisclosed amounts before the case came to court.

The Writing Is on the Wall for Social Media Giants

The verdict is seen as another precedent for similar cases filed against Google and Meta. Parents of other children with the same claims celebrated the Wednesday ruling, a landmark decision following a five-week trial.

On Tuesday, a New Mexico jury also deemed Meta's platforms endangered children, exposing them to sexual predators and sexually explicit material. In January, Australia banned teenagers under 16 from using social media. The UK is following suit with its own test program, imposing 'digital curfews' on the homes of 300 teenagers.

Another case filed against social media platforms, including Meta, is set for trial in June at a California federal court.