Social Media Addiction Jury Verdict: Meta and YouTube Liable on all Counts, Plaintiff Awarded $6 Million

The first Social Media Addiction Trial has come to a close and the verdict is in:

• Meta and YouTube found negligent for harming a young woman through design features that were addictive and led to mental health distress, according to a Los Angeles jury in this landmark social media addiction court case.
• The jury awarded the young woman, identified as KGM, $3 million in compensatory damages, and $3 million in punitive damages.

Why This Verdict Matters

• This is a landmark verdict in a social media addiction court case and a major moment in social media addiction litigation
• The case, led by trial attorney Mark Lanier, is expected to influence thousands of similar lawsuits currently pending nationwide

KGM’s trial was the first of many cases, selected by the court to evaluate the strengths and challenges of future cases. Each win like this can potentially push social media companies to make changes to their practices and to consider compensating other victims.

This social media addiction trial brought national attention to the mental health impact of social media on children and young adults and signals the beginning of social media companies being held accountable for the harm they can cause.

If you or your child experienced harm from social media platforms, now is a critical time to act. Social media companies are feeling the pressure after seeing that juries are willing to hold them responsible for causing mental health injuries.

To start filing a claim or learn more about the process, visit our lawsuit page to learn more and to contact our trauma-informed Social Media Addiction Litigation Team.

About the Social Media Addiction Lawyers

Our lawyers are leading the fight for families whose children were harmed by social media companies. We represent more than 300 families whose children were harmed by social media. Our trauma-informed lawyers help parents protect their children and navigate the legal process.

Earlier in the case, social media platforms argued they were immune from certain legal claims and tried to have the lawsuits dismissed. Our firm successfully opposed those efforts, and both federal and state judges agreed, allowing the cases to move forward. These legal victories were featured in BBC, Bloomberg Law, Reuters, The Verge, and more.