tech
Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people, jury finds
Six-week trial including whistleblowers and top executives at Meta and YouTube was first of its kind to go to trial
TL;DR
- Meta and YouTube were found liable by a jury for designing addictive products that harmed a young user, KGM.
- The jury awarded KGM $6 million in damages, with Meta responsible for 70% and YouTube for the remainder.
- Jurors found the tech companies negligent and failing to provide adequate warnings about product dangers.
- KGM testified that she became addicted to YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine, leading to depression, self-harm, and social difficulties.
- The lawsuit's arguments echoed those against big tobacco, focusing on addictive qualities and companies' alleged knowledge of harm.
- Features like infinitely scrollable feeds and video autoplay were cited as examples of addictive design.
- Meta and YouTube plan to appeal the verdict, with Meta stating teen mental health is complex and YouTube calling itself a responsibly built streaming platform, not social media.
- This case is the first in a consolidated group of lawsuits against Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Snap, with TikTok and Snap having settled prior to trial.
- The verdict comes shortly after Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in civil penalties in a separate New Mexico lawsuit.
- This is the first time Meta has been found liable for how its products affect young people in back-to-back verdicts.