Meta and Google liable for US$3 million damages in social media addiction trial

A Los Angeles jury found Alphabet’s Google and Meta liable for US$3 million in damages on Wednesday in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit.

The ‌outcome could influence thousands of similar cases against the tech companies brought by parents, attorneys general and school districts. At least half of American teenagers use YouTube or Instagram daily, according to the Pew Research Centre.

The Los Angeles case involves a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to the apps at a young age because of their attention-grabbing design.

The plaintiffs in the Los Angeles proceeding focused on platform design rather than content, making it harder for ⁠the companies to avert liability. Snap and TikTok were also defendants in the trial. Both settled with the plaintiff before it ‌began. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

Shares of Meta Platforms were up 1 per cent and Alphabet slightly higher after the verdict, little changed on the news.

A Meta spokesperson said: “We respectfully disagree with ‌the verdict and are evaluating our legal options.” Google did not have an immediate comment.

Large technology companies ⁠in the United States have ⁠faced mounting criticism in the past decade over child and teenager safety.