Meta and Google denied new trial after landmark verdict in youth social media addiction case
A California state court judge has denied motions by Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube seeking a new trial after a jury found the companies liable for designing social media platforms that are harmful to young people.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl ruled on the motions on Tuesday, according to court documents.
The companies had sought a new trial in a lawsuit filed by a woman who said she became addicted to Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram at a young age because of their attention-grabbing design.
A jury found the companies negligent and imposed $6 million in damages.
Kuhl rejected the companies’ argument that they are shielded from the claims by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law that generally protects online platforms from liability over user-generated content.
Kuhl said the law does not address the companies’ design choices and the jury was repeatedly instructed not to consider content.
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