A California jury is scheduled to resume deliberations Monday in a high-profile trial against Meta and Google, accused of contributing to social media addiction among minors. After six weeks of hearings in a Los Angeles court, the jurors must now determine whether the design of Instagram and YouTube has endangered the mental health of teenagers.
The twelve jurors will have to decide, among other things, whether the two companies were negligent in the design of their platforms and whether they should have anticipated the risks associated with their use by minors. They will also have to determine whether the lack of warnings about these dangers played a significant role in the harm alleged by the plaintiff.
A trial that could set a precedent
The case is based on a complaint filed by Kaley GM, a 20-year-old American woman who claims to have become addicted to social media in childhood. She believes this prolonged exposure has contributed to her mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
During the hearings, the prosecution presented internal Meta documents suggesting that the company was aware of the potentially addictive effects of certain features. The tech companies dispute these accusations and maintain that the young woman's difficulties stem primarily from personal factors. The verdict could set a precedent in numerous similar lawsuits filed against digital platforms in the United States.
