Jury Verdict Against Meta and Google
A Los Angeles jury has delivered a groundbreaking verdict in favor of a young woman who sued Meta and Google over her childhood addiction to social media platforms.
On Wednesday, the jury presented its decision to Judge Carolyn Kuhl, concluding that Meta and Google deliberately designed addictive social media services that negatively impacted the mental health of a 20-year-old woman identified as Kaley.
This ruling is expected to have significant implications for numerous similar lawsuits currently progressing through courts across the United States.
Arguments and Responsibility Allocation
Meta's legal team contended that although Kaley experienced difficulties in her life, her use of Instagram—owned by Meta alongside Facebook and WhatsApp—did not cause or substantially contribute to those challenges.
Following a trial lasting approximately five weeks, the jury assigned 70% of the responsibility for the plaintiff's harm to Meta, with YouTube (owned by Google) bearing 30% of the blame.
Meta's Response
In response to the verdict, Meta issued a statement:
"We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options."
Ongoing Coverage
This is a developing story. Additional details will be provided as they become available. Readers are encouraged to refresh the page for the most current information.
For real-time updates, users can receive Breaking News alerts on smartphones or tablets via the App or follow @BBCBreaking on X.
