Jurors in Los Angeles are weighing whether social media giants Meta and Google should be held liable for mental health harms allegedly caused by their platforms, after a landmark trial concluded last Thursday (March 12) with closing arguments.
The case centers on a 20-year-old woman identified as Kaley GM, who claims she became addicted to YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine, leading to depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. Her lawyers argue that features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and beauty filters were designed to be addictive and caused lasting harm.
Mark Lanier, representing the plaintiff, told jurors that Meta and Google engineered addiction to capture attention and generate profits. "How did they become such behemoths?" Lanier asked during closing arguments. "It's the attention economy. They're making money off capturing your attention."
The tech companies deny wrongdoing. Paul Schmidt, Meta's attorney, argued that Kaley's mental health issues stemmed from a troubled home life rather than social media use. Schmidt played recordings of Kaley's mother yelling at her, suggesting family dynamics were the root cause of her struggles.
Luis Li, representing Google, told the jury that YouTube "did not create a product that harmed Ms. GM." He noted that Kaley's YouTube use peaked at age eight and declined afterward, arguing she simply "lost interest" rather than showing signs of clinical addiction.
Deliberations began Friday (March 13). Jurors must determine whether Meta, Google, or both were negligent in designing or operating their platforms and whether they failed to warn minors about potential dangers. Law.com reported that jurors sent three notes Tuesday (March 17), requesting testimony from YouTube custodian Ian McNeeds about account deletions and an audio recording related to Kaley's father.
This case is the first of approximately 1,600 lawsuits filed against Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snap. TikTok and Snap settled with Kaley before trial. The verdict could influence a global settlement or lead to additional bellwether trials, with the next scheduled for July.
If liability is found, a second phase will determine punitive damages.