Meta appeals landmark jury verdict that found it to blame for social media addiction
Meta and YouTube are appealing a court verdict that held them liable for social media addiction and mental health issues in a young user. The companies argue that teen mental health is a complex issue that cannot be attributed to a single platform.
Why it matters
This case sets a significant legal precedent regarding the responsibility of tech platforms for the psychological impact of their algorithms on minors.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has appealed the verdict of a landmark social media addiction lawsuit in Los Angeles, challenging the jury's determination that the company designed its platforms to hook young users without concern for their well-being.
Lawyers representing Meta filed a notice of appeal Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The lawyers will provide their arguments related to the appeal in subsequent court filings.
The case centered on a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to social media as a child and that it worsened her mental health struggles. The jury found that negligence by both Meta and Google-owned YouTube, which was also a defendant in the case, was a substantial factor in causing harm to the young woman, identified in court only by her initials, KGM, and her first name, Kaley.
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