LOS ANGELES, March 25 : A Los Angeles jury reached a verdict on Wednesday in a landmark social media addiction trial involving Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube. The case centers on platform design rather than content, raising questions about corporate liability.
The lawsuit was brought by a 20-year-old woman who claimed she became addicted to the apps due to their attention-grabbing design. At least half of American teens use YouTube or Instagram daily, according to the Pew Research Center.
Snap and TikTok were also defendants but settled before the trial began. Terms of the agreements remain undisclosed.
Large technology companies have faced growing scrutiny over child safety. At least 20 states enacted laws last year regulating social media usage and requiring age verification for accounts. NetChoice, a trade group representing tech firms, is challenging these laws in court.
A separate case against tech companies by several states and school districts is set for trial this summer in Oakland, California. Another trial is scheduled for July in Los Angeles, involving Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat.
In a separate case, a New Mexico jury found Meta violated state law in a lawsuit brought by the state’s attorney general, accusing the company of misleading users about the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and enabling child sexual exploitation.