In a historic ruling, a jury has found Meta and YouTube responsible for fueling a young woman’s childhood social media addiction, awarding her $6 million in damages.
The verdict signals growing scrutiny of tech companies over their platforms’ impact on mental health.
A Los Angeles jury concluded that Meta, owner of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, and Google, owner of YouTube, intentionally designed platforms that harmed 20-year-old Kaley’s mental health.
Kaley, who began using Instagram at age nine and YouTube at six, was awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and an additional $3 million in punitive damages. Jurors determined the companies “acted with malice, oppression, or fraud” in operating their platforms. Meta will cover 70% of the damages, with Google responsible for the remaining 30%.
Reactions from Meta and Google
Both companies disagreed with the verdict and plan to appeal.
A Meta spokesperson said: “Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously and remain confident in our record of protecting teens online.”
Google responded: “This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site.”
Evidence and testimonies
Kaley’s lawyers argued that features like infinite scroll were designed to be addictive, encouraging excessive usage. Internal documents suggested Meta intentionally targeted young users to grow long-term engagement.
During testimony, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, described a teenager spending 16 hours on the platform in a single day as “problematic,” rather than labeling it addiction. Experts and former executives testified about the companies’ prioritization of growth over user welfare.
Kaley revealed she developed anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia due to her early social media use, highlighting the personal toll of addictive platform designs.
Outside the courthouse, parents celebrated the verdict, expressing hope that social media companies would be held accountable. Similar cases are ongoing in US courts, and the ruling follows a New Mexico jury finding Meta liable for exposing children to harmful content.
Research director Mike Proulx of Forrester called the back-to-back verdicts a “breaking point” in public sentiment toward social media. Countries including Australia and the UK are exploring restrictions for minors to limit social media exposure.
Kaley’s lawyers stated the verdict sends a clear message: “No company is above accountability when it comes to our children.” Another high-profile case against Meta and other platforms is set to begin in June in California federal court.
The ruling could influence hundreds of similar lawsuits and reshape how tech companies address childhood addiction and online safety in the US and beyond.
