Meta and Google held liable for social media harm; $6 million in damages awarded

Chhabed Sathee: A California jury has ruled that Meta and Google are partly responsible for mental health harm caused by excessive social media use, ordering the companies to pay a total of $6 million in damages to a young woman who suffered from depression and anxiety.

The award includes $3 million in compensatory damages and an additional $3 million in punitive damages, with Meta responsible for 70% of the total.

Jurors found that platforms such as Instagram and YouTube were deliberately designed to be addictive, particularly targeting children and teenagers, with insufficient regard for their mental well-being.

The plaintiff, identified as KGM, testified that she became addicted to social media from a young age, which worsened her mental health struggles. After lengthy deliberations, the jury concluded that the companies knowingly failed to provide adequate safeguards despite being aware of potential harm to young users. Meta was found 70% responsible, while YouTube bore 30% of the liability.

Analysts say the ruling is significant and could influence thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies. It also marks the first time a jury has treated social media platforms as “defective products.”

Meta and Google have disagreed with the verdict and said they are considering legal options, including an appeal, arguing that mental health issues are complex and cannot be attributed to a single platform.

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