Jury's Verdict
A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in the design of their social media platforms, awarding $6 million in damages to a woman identified as K.G.M. The $6 million includes $3 million in punitive damages. The jury determined that Meta will be liable for 70% of the damages, while Google will be responsible for the remaining 30%.
Plaintiff's Testimony
K.G.M., also known as Kaley, testified that her early use of social media led to depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia. She started using YouTube at age six and Instagram around age nine. By the time she finished elementary school, she had posted 284 videos on YouTube. K.G.M. told the court, "I stopped engaging with family because I was spending all my time on social media."
Negligence Claims
The jury found that Meta had been negligent in designing or operating Instagram, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in harming the plaintiff. The jury also found Google had been negligent in designing or operating YouTube and that this negligence was a substantial factor in harming the plaintiff. Jurors determined that both companies knew or should have known their services posed a danger to minors, that they failed to adequately warn users of that danger, and that a reasonable platform operator would have done so.
Company Responses
A Meta spokesperson said that they "respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options." Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said the verdict misrepresents YouTube “which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site”. Meta president Dina Powell McCormick said that they are appealing the decision.
Similar Cases
The verdict hands plaintiffs in more than a thousand similar pending cases significant leverage. The verdict signaled to the broader tech industry that juries were prepared to hold social media companies accountable for the mental health toll of their design choices. The day before the jury’s decision in the KGM trial, a separate jury in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $375 million over harms to young users.
Impact of the Ruling
The plaintiffs' counsel said, "This verdict sends an unmistakable message that no company is above accountability when it comes to our children." Another bellwether social media trial is set to begin in June in federal court. This trial puts together nationwide cases from attorneys general, school districts, local governments and families.
