Arabic version: تم تحميل ميتا وجوجل المسؤولية عن إدمان وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي

A jury in Los Angeles has found Meta and Google liable for damages in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit, awarding the 20-year-old plaintiff $4.3 million. The case has significant implications, potentially influencing thousands of similar lawsuits against the tech giants. According to ABC News, the jury determined that the companies were negligent in their platform designs, which they found to be deliberately addictive.

The plaintiff, who began using YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine, testified that her addiction to these platforms negatively impacted her mental health. After nine days of deliberation, the jury concluded that both companies failed to adequately warn users about the dangers posed to minors. This verdict marks a significant moment in the ongoing scrutiny of social media’s impact on young users.

The plaintiff’s legal team argued that the design features of the platforms, such as infinite scrolling and autoplay, were intentionally created to keep users engaged for extended periods. In contrast, Meta claimed that the plaintiff’s mental health issues were unrelated to her social media usage and cited her challenging home environment as a contributing factor.

The outcome of this trial could set a precedent for future cases against tech companies, which have faced increasing criticism over child and teen safety. Over the past year, numerous states have enacted laws aimed at regulating social media usage among minors, highlighting the growing concern around the issue.

Meta has expressed its disagreement with the verdict and is currently evaluating its legal options. The trial has been described as historic, as it is one of the first to directly address the responsibility of social media platforms for the potential harm caused to young users.