Meta and Google appeal $6 million verdict on teen addiction

Meta has formally appealed a landmark jury verdict that found the company and Google's YouTube liable for a young woman's social media addiction, initiating a legal battle that could reshape accountability for tech platforms. The appeal, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, challenges a March verdict awarding the plaintiff $6 million in damages after a jury determined the platforms' negligent design harmed her mental health.

The case centered on a 20-year-old woman identified in court as Kaley, who testified that using YouTube from age six and Instagram from age nine fostered a compulsive dependency that worsened her clinical depression and suicidal ideation. After a five-week trial, the jury found that negligence by both Meta and YouTube was a substantial factor in causing her harm. It awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and recommended an additional $3 million in punitive damages, allocating 70 percent of the fault to Meta and 30 percent to Google.

In a statement, a Meta spokesperson reiterated the company's position that teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app. A Google spokesperson confirmed YouTube also plans to appeal,...