Judge upholds verdict finding Meta and Google liable for harmful social media platform designs.
A California judge has denied requests from Meta and Google for a new trial after a jury found both companies liable in a lawsuit claiming their social media platforms contributed to a young woman’s addiction. The decision keeps in place a $6 million verdict handed down earlier this year in Los Angeles Superior Court. The lawsuit centered on allegations that design features built into Instagram and YouTube were intentionally created to keep young users engaged for long periods of time, leading to compulsive use and emotional harm.
Judge Carolyn Kuhl rejected arguments from both companies that the verdict should be overturned. In her ruling, she said the case was not about the content users viewed on the platforms but about the way the products themselves were designed to draw them in and keep them hooked. That distinction became a major issue because Meta and Google argued they were protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law that generally shields internet companies from liability related to content posted by users.
The judge disagreed, writing that the plaintiff’s claims focused on design choices rather than user-generated material. She also stated that jurors had been instructed throughout the trial not to base their decision on the content available on the platforms.
According to court records, the plaintiff argued that she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube while she was still a minor. Her attorneys claimed features such as endless scrolling, recommendations, notifications and other engagement tools were designed to encourage prolonged use and contributed to mental and emotional harm. The jury agreed, finding both companies negligent and awarding damages totaling $6 million. In denying the companies’ motions, Judge Kuhl wrote that there was substantial evidence supporting the jury’s finding that Instagram’s design caused harm independent of the content users consumed.
A spokesperson with Meta said the company strongly disagrees with the ruling and expects to prevail on appeal. The company maintains that the lawsuit attempts to bypass both Section 230 protections and First Amendment rights. Google also plans to appeal. Company spokesperson José Castañeda said Google believes the ruling is flawed and intends to continue fighting the case in higher courts.
The plaintiff’s attorney, Mark Lanier, said the judge’s decision was unsurprising given the evidence presented during the trial. He argued that the companies knowingly designed products that encouraged excessive use among young people and should be held responsible for the consequences.
Meta has faced a series of courtroom setbacks in recent months. Around the same time as the Los Angeles verdict, a jury in New Mexico ordered the company to pay $375 million after finding it misled users about the safety of its platforms for children. The growing number of lawsuits has created one of the largest legal challenges ever faced by the social media industry. More than 3,300 addiction-related cases are currently pending in California state court against Meta, Google, Snap and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.
Another 2,400 lawsuits filed by individuals, school districts, cities and state governments have been combined in federal court in California. Many of those cases make similar claims, arguing that social media companies knowingly designed products that exploit psychological vulnerabilities in young users.
The companies have repeatedly denied wrongdoing. They point to parental controls, screen-time tools and safety features that have been added in recent years to protect users, seemingly shifting the blame for overuse back onto the users themselves for allegedly not implementing these safeguards. They’ve also argued that questions about online behavior are influenced by many factors beyond platform design. However, for now, Meta and Google remain on the hook for the jury’s verdict while they’re preparing their appeals.
Sources:
Google, Meta appeal for youth social media addiction case denied
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