A Los Angeles jury ruled on Wednesday that Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube caused harm to a young user through features designed to keep kids hooked — a landmark verdict described as "shaking Big Tech's predatory business model to its core."
The high-profile case centered on a 20-year-old woman who said she became obsessed with the apps as a child, claiming they were intentionally designed to be addictive through features like infinite scroll and autoplay. The jury held the tech giants responsible, awarding $3 million in damages. This decision could now affect thousands of similar lawsuits against the two tech giants — and other companies — filed by parents, states, and school districts.
Meta and Google Punished
At least half of American teens use YouTube or Instagram every day, according to the Pew Research Center. Snap and TikTok were also named as defendants in the case, but both reached settlements with the plaintiff before the trial got underway.
Sacha Haworth, executive director of the Tech Oversight Project, described the verdict as an "earthquake that shakes Big Tech's predatory business model to its core."
"This trial was proof that if you put CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg on the stand before a judge and jury of their peers, the tech industry's wanton disregard for people will be on full display," Haworth said in a statement.
The plaintiff, identified only as K.G.M., said her addiction led to depression, anxiety, and serious mental health struggles.
Over several weeks, jurors heard directly from her as she described feeling trapped in the apps' endless loops, talking about sleepless nights and compulsive scrolling she couldn't control.
Meta, Google Defend Themselves
Meta and YouTube have denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that their platforms are safe and highlighting parental controls and safety features as proof of responsible design. In a statement following the verdict, Meta said, "We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options."
The landmark trial marked the first time social media executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, testified under oath about how their products work behind the scenes.
Documents presented in court drew comparisons between user engagement and addictive substances, illustrating how platform design is built to keep users scrolling for long periods.
K.G.M.'s lawyers argued that the apps functioned like "digital candy for the brain," deliberately taking advantage of young users' vulnerabilities.
Defense attorneys pushed back, saying the plaintiff's struggles were driven by personal and family issues rather than the platforms themselves.
Parents of young social media users sat in the gallery during the trial, with some seen wiping away tears as K.G.M. described how the apps affected her daily life.
K.G.M.'s attorney praised the verdict on Wednesday, calling it a "referendum."
