Mark Zuckerberg leaving Los Angeles Superior Court last month.
Credit: John Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images
on wednesdayA Los Angeles jury found both Meta and YouTube negligent for failure to warn their users about potential dangers associated with their apps and services. Specifically, the jury found that Meta and YouTube caused “harm” to a young user, now identified as 20-year-old KGM, through addictive features, causing the user a “mental health crisis”.
Meta and YouTube have now been fined $3 million. Meta will pay most of the amount (70%, or $2.1 million), while YouTube will pay the remaining 30% ($900,000). This is a historic case that could have a cascading effect on all social media platforms.
In the KGM case, Meta and YouTube were accused of acting like tobacco companies or digital casinos by creating products that are addictive and cause anxiety and depression in their users. Instead of trading cigarettes or gambling, Meta and YouTube present content through infinite scrolling, with recommendations given by intelligent algorithms that know what will interest users. Snap (maker of Snapchat) and TikTok were also named, but settled for an undisclosed amount before trial.
The case began in January, while the jury began deliberations on Friday, March 13. This isn’t even over: While the jury determined this initial compensation amount, they now have to decide on punitive damages for malice or fraud, which could be much higher.
The KGM case is far from the only one facing social media companies. according to the new York TimesThere are currently thousands of lawsuits targeting companies like Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap, brought forward by teenagers, school districts, and state attorneys general. Meta was previously found liable for failing to protect users from child predators in New Mexico; The jury in that case ordered Meta to pay $375 million in damages. This is an encouraging trend for plaintiffs, as social media companies were once thought to be legally protected in these cases – the idea being that the companies themselves were not liable for how people used the platforms.
A spokesperson for Meta told the Times: “We respectfully disagree with the decision and are evaluating our legal options,” while YouTube did not return a request for comment.
There are still many cases pending and the verdicts delivered are still fresh. These things also take time: KGM originally filed the lawsuit in 2023, so we could be following many more of these lawsuits for years. But these early results could be indicative of future cases, suggesting that social media companies may need to fundamentally change their platform designs — or risk facing legal repercussions.
What do you think so far?
In KGM’s case, lawyers presented evidence that executives at both Meta and YouTube were aware of the harm their platforms caused to minors. It’s hardly a secret: Social media companies, including Meta, They have been documented to be well aware of the effects of their platforms on children-They chose profit and growth rather than limiting potential losses. They may face more public backlash now that these cases are coming back in the plaintiffs’ favor.
The key question is whether the impact of such lawsuits will be enough for Meta and its ilk to change course, or whether they will determine that their existing models are more attractive, even considering the financial risk. I have a hard time believing that Meta will change its platform in fundamental ways until the decisions become too extreme. The penalty involved should be large enough to impact the money the company earns by maintaining the status quo. Otherwise, why would Meta or YouTube change their ways?
To be fair, in recent years companies have started to implement more parental controls and more restrictions for underage users. But it’s hard to seriously try to protect children when, for example, we know that internally, Meta was absolutely fine with molesting minors with its AI.
