6 million dollars for digital addiction.. A girl defeats "Meta" and "Google" in a historic case

SadaNews - A jury in Los Angeles concluded on Wednesday that Meta and Google acted negligently in designing social media platforms that harm young people, resulting in a $6 million verdict, which serves as an important indicator for many similar cases.

The jury found Meta liable for $4.2 million in damages, while Google was ordered to pay $1.8 million, amounts that are considered small for two of the highest valued companies in the world, as their annual capital expenditures exceed $100 billion each.

These total damages of $6 million will be paid to a 20-year-old girl, in a lawsuit she filed against the two companies, accusing the Meta-owned Instagram and Google-owned YouTube platforms of causing her addiction.

This ruling represents a precedent that threatens social media sites, where the jury condemned the two companies for designing digital products that promote addiction.

The jury also concluded that "Meta" and "Google" did not warn of the risks associated with their platforms.

The trial held in Los Angeles aims to serve as a test case for thousands of similar lawsuits aggregated before California courts.

The significance of the case lies in that it opens the door for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies, placing them in the same category as major tobacco companies in terms of increased legal accountability.

Spokespeople for both "Meta" and "Google" stated that they do not agree with the ruling and intend to appeal it.

U.S. law provides social media companies with strong protections against liability for content posted on their platforms, but the plaintiffs in the Los Angeles case focused on the platform design rather than content.

Jill Loria, a technology sector analyst at investment firm D.A. Davidson, described the ruling as a "setback" for Meta and Google.

He noted: "This process is likely to extend through future lawsuits and appeals, but it may ultimately push these companies to implement consumer protection measures, which could slow the pace of growth."

Snap and TikTok were among the defendants in the trial. They reached a settlement with the plaintiff before the trial began, and the terms of the agreements were not disclosed.