Social media addiction case verdict hits Meta and Google
SYDNEY, March 27: A Los Angeles jury has ruled that Instagram and YouTube are inherently addictive due to design defects, awarding $3 million in damages to plaintiff KGM, and an additional $3 million in punitive damages.
Meta, owner of Instagram, was found 70% liable, while Google, owner of YouTube, bore 30% responsibility. TikTok and Snap settled confidentially before the six-week trial began.
This landmark verdict is the first of its kind addressing social media addiction and could set global precedent, with over 20 bellwether trials pending in the US.
KGM, now 20, said she began using YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine, spending up to 16 hours daily on Instagram, which led to anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia, and suicidal ideation
Her legal team argued the companies deliberately implemented addictive features, such as infinite scroll, designed to maximize engagement and revenue, comparing their methods to gambling machines and the tobacco industry.
Evidence included Meta’s internal “Project Myst” study, memos describing addiction as a goal, and employees calling themselves “pushers.”
Meta’s defense claimed KGM faced preexisting challenges unrelated to social media and that the platforms sometimes provided coping outlets.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified the company did not aim to maximize user time and highlighted new safety tools.
YouTube argued there was no medical evidence of addiction. Both companies invoked Section 230 protections, but the judge clarified that platform design, separate from content, could be scrutinized, limiting this defense.
Legal experts view the verdict as potentially “big tech’s big tobacco moment,” paving the way for class actions and global litigation over addictive design. Unlike prior cases focusing on content, KGM’s case addresses platform mechanics as a direct cause of harm.
The ruling highlights that courts may increasingly hold social media companies accountable for deliberate design choices that exploit user vulnerabilities, particularly among minors.
Meta and Google have announced plans to appeal, but the decision demonstrates a growing willingness to challenge tech giants over addiction-focused product design. (AP)
