Landmark L.A. jury verdict finds Instagram, YouTube were designed to addict kids

A Los Angeles County Superior Court jury delivered a landmark verdict on Wednesday, finding Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube legally responsible for designing their platforms to addict children. The case, brought by 20-year-old plaintiff Kaley G.M., concluded after seven weeks of trial and over 40 hours of jury deliberation. The jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages, plus $2.1 million in punitive damages against Meta and $900,000 against Google, bringing the total judgment to $6 million. This represents the first time any lawsuit seeking to hold tech companies accountable for harms to children has reached a jury verdict.

The decision comes just 24 hours after a separate New Mexico jury found Meta liable for $375 million in damages related to child safety failures on Instagram. The Los Angeles verdict is particularly significant because it establishes legal precedent for thousands of similar cases pending nationwide. Kaley's case was selected as a test case from scores of lawsuits consolidated in California state court. While Snapchat and TikTok settled out of court before trial, Meta and Google now face the prospect of defending against a wave of similar claims, with experts noting this verdict will likely set the bar for future awards.

The jury determined Meta was 70% responsible for the harm and YouTube 30% responsible, specifically finding the companies acted negligently in product design and failed to warn users of dangers. This verdict arrives alongside a Delaware court ruling that Meta's insurers aren't responsible for damages from child harm lawsuits, potentially leaving tech companies directly liable for untold millions in future settlements. The decision fundamentally reshapes the legal landscape for social media platforms and their duty of care toward young users.