A California jury on Wednesday found YouTube and Meta guilty of using design features that promoted social media addiction among minors.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had testified during the landmark trial, saying that Meta was not linked to mental health issues that plagued the plaintiff, who was awarded $3 million (R51.17 million) in compensatory damages, according to NBC News. The jury will next decide on punitive damages.
The lawyers for plaintiff KGM said the verdict is “a historic moment” for children and families.
“But this verdict is bigger than one case,” the lawyers said. “For years, social media companies have profited from targeting children while concealing their addictive and dangerous design features. Today’s verdict is a referendum — from a jury, to an entire industry — that accountability has arrived.”
The news outlet noted the significance of the case: “The finding validates a novel legal theory that social media sites or apps can cause personal injury. It is likely to factor into similar cases expected to go to trial this year, which could expose the internet giants to further financial damages and force changes to their products.”
TikTok and Snapchat settled out of court for undisclosed amounts.
Earlier this month, a New Mexico jury declared Meta liable for failing to protect users of its apps from child predators. Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in that case.
Please help us to keep on publishing news that brings Hope in Jesus:
>> Donate >> Become a Super Subscriber
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/gatewaynews100
COMMENTING GUIDELINES
You are welcome to engage with our articles by making comments [in the Comments area below] that add value to a topic or to engage in thoughtful, constructive discussion with fellow readers. Comments that contain vulgar language will be removed. Hostile, demeaning, disrespectful, propagandistic and off-topic comments may also be moved. This is a Christian website and if you wish to vent against Christian beliefs you have probably come to the wrong place and your comments may be removed. Ongoing debates and repetitiveness will not be tolerated. You will also disqualify yourself from commenting if you engage in trolling.
