Meta, YouTube Lose Major Lawsuit Over Social Media Addiction in Teens

Meta and YouTube lost a major lawsuit this week regarding social media addiction and its impact on teens, and it could spark a ripple effect for similar lawsuits across the nation.

The trial, which spanned nine days over the last six weeks, took place in the Los Angeles Superior Court. Top brass from both Meta and YouTube arrived at the court to testify and argue against the claims of a 20-year-old woman who suffered from social media addiction, going by the initials KGM.

However, this case proved to be unique for one particular reason: the plaintiffs won. In past trials, children, parents, and schools had been unable to successfully sue social media companies because of the protection they receive from the Communications Act of 1934. This act states that technology companies are not responsible for the content users post, removing their liability for any damages caused by certain posts or content on their application.

In this case, KGM and her lawyers took a different approach to the problem. Instead of framing the issue as a problem with specific posts or content, they cited the dangerous, addictive algorithms of social media, which reportedly addicted KGM to Instagram and YouTube at a young age. By the age of 10, she was already involved in self-harming activities due to her use of social media, and she was later diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder and social phobia– both of which were imputed to Instagram and YouTube.

KGM also confirmed that the harm caused to her mental and physical health by social media has occurred in children all over the world, and social media companies continue to implement addictive features to draw people in, like the endless scrolling of feeds or AI-driven algorithms designed to keep the user hooked.

The jury ruled in favor of KGM, requiring Meta and YouTube to pay a combined $3 million in damages to the 20-year-old and an additional $3 million in punitive damages due to their extreme negligence. Meta will be required to be 70% of the damages, while YouTube will pay the other 30%.

While $3 million portrays the case as a minor event, the true impact of KGM's win is the ripple effect that it could initiate across the nation. By using the same strategy to frame the issue as the dangerous features of social media, thousands of people all over the world who have suffered from social media addiction can follow in the footsteps of KGM.

Also, the lawsuit is only the second-ever case to win the court's favor when suing Meta over the impacts of its products on children and teens– the first came just days ago in the state of New Mexico. Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in civil penalties after the jury ruled that Meta misled social media users regarding the app's safety and enabled harm against minors, particularly sexual exploitation.

Meta has refused to take responsibility in either case, and they have refuted the jury's decision and plan to appeal both decisions. Nevertheless, these two cases could open the door for a slew of new trials regarding social media and the negative impacts it has on physical health, mental health, and society as a whole.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The sound of a Star Wars lightsaber was created by combining the sounds of an idle USC film projector and the buzz from a broken TV set.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. (Chuck Swindoll)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Undulate (verb, UN-juh-layt) - Undulate is a formal word that means “to move or be shaped like waves.”

In a Sentence: On the approach to the tulip festival, visitors are greeted by a large field of the colorful flowers undulating in the wind.

Image credit to BBC