LOS ANGELES - A jury has found Meta and Google liable in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit, marking a pivotal moment in legal efforts to hold tech giants accountable for platform design that allegedly hooks young users.
The case centered on a 20-year-old woman who claimed she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a teen due to manipulative interface features engineered to maximize engagement. Unlike content-focused lawsuits, this trial targeted the apps’ underlying architecture-making it harder for defendants to claim First Amendment protection.
Snap and TikTok were also named but settled before trial; terms remain confidential.
The verdict could shape outcomes in thousands of pending suits from parents, school districts, and state attorneys general. At least 20 states passed laws last year restricting minors’ social media access, including age verification mandates now being challenged in court by NetChoice, a tech industry group backed by Meta and Google.
Additional trials loom: a federal case involving multiple states heads to court this summer in Oakland, while another state-level trial in Los Angeles is set for July-this time including TikTok and Snapchat alongside Meta and Google.
In related news, a New Mexico jury separately ruled Meta violated state law by misleading users about child safety on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.