Khaberni - A California jury concluded on Wednesday that "Meta" and "YouTube" are responsible for harming a girl through their addictive platform designs, demanding the two groups pay a total of $3 million in compensation, paving the way for similar compensation judgements regarding the practices of internet giants.
This verdict raises hope among thousands of plaintiffs in similar cases and confirms to social networking companies that the judiciary is ready to hold them accountable for the mental health impacts of their choices.
The jury found that "Meta," the parent group of several companies including "Facebook" and "Instagram," and "YouTube" showed negligence in terms of platform design and operation. This negligence was a key factor in harming the complainant.
The jurors believed that both companies were aware, or should have been aware, that their services posed a danger to minors, and they did not properly warn their users.
In a statement, the complainant's lawyer, referred to in court as Kylie, said, "the time for accountability has come."
A spokesperson for "Meta" expressed the company's opposition to the judgment, indicating that it is considering its options.
Kylie, who began using "YouTube" at age six and "Instagram" at age nine, said that her near-constant use of social media affected her self-confidence and caused her to abandon all her hobbies and to face difficulties in forging relationships, always needing to compare herself with others.
Her lawyer argued that the services offered by the platforms and their specifications are designed to induce addictive usage among teenagers.
"Meta" and "YouTube," on their part, saw no link between their platforms and Kylie’s psychological issues.
The jury assigned 70% of the responsibility to "Meta" with damages of $2.1 million, and 30% and damages of $900,000 to "YouTube."
