Meta and YouTube found liable on all charges in landmark social media addiction trial

[EvilEyeFleegle]

Well now, this is a game-changer, if it holds up.
"The internet made me do it" may end up a valid legal defense?

If a teen girl is bullied into suicide--and it happens all too often---is the platform liable for the death?

What about teen-gamers hooked on WoW...or Call of Duty?

This is Pandora's box..for streaming platforms.

Meta and YouTube found liable on all charges in landmark social media addiction trial

The verdict, which caps a weeks-long trial in Los Angeles, could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.

www.cbsnews.com

A jury on Wednesday found that Meta and YouTube are liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users, a landmark decision that could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.

The jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages to the lead plaintiff in the case, a woman named Kaley. Identified in court filings by her initials "KGM," she alleged that using YouTube and Instagram from a young age led to addictive use of the platforms and contributed to her mental health problems, including depression, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts.

Jurors ruled that Meta and YouTube were negligent in designing and operating their platforms, factors that resulted in harm to the plaintiff. The jurors also found that the companies were aware that their platforms could have adverse effects on minors but failed to adequately warn users. Meta bears 70% of the responsibility, while YouTube shoulders 30%, the jury ruled.

Jurors also decided the companies acted with "malice, oppression or fraud," accounting for the $3 million award in punitive damages. Of that amount, Meta will be responsible for paying $2.1 million, and YouTube must pay $900,000.

 

[theHawk]

Dumb. As much as I despise those woke companies, the personal responsibility still falls on the individual. If a minor, then on her parents.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

Dumb. As much as I despise those woke companies, the personal responsibility still falls on the individual. If a minor, then on her parents.

Just like Smoking...the adverse effect of social media addiction, especially in minors...and most especially in teen girls--has been known by these companies for a long time now, yet still they marketed this. product, social media....aimed specifically at that demographic.

Parents??

Most parents just give up the battle of social media around 12 or so.

Given that I think social media is one of societies biggest threats..along with AI---I say let's empty their pocket..and force changes.

 

[theHawk]

Most parents just give up the battle of social media around 12 or so.

Then that’s on them, not internet companies.

 

[The Duke]

Just like Smoking...the adverse effect of social media addiction, especially in minors...and most especially in teen girls--has been known by these companies for a long time now, yet still they marketed this. product, social media....aimed specifically at that demographic.

Parents??

Most parents just give up the battle of social media around 12 or so.

Given that I think social media is one of societies biggest threats..along with AI---I say let's empty their pocket..and force changes.

Ya know, tobacco was a huge economic boon to America. An entire industry that's been decimated, tons of jobs lost.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

Ya know, tobacco was a huge economic boon to America. An entire industry that's been decimated, tons of jobs lost.

Well..offset that with the trillions in medical bills, the lives cut short.

Selling drugs is selling drugs.

 

[drudge X]

It’s not just the young. I’ve seen many older people who are addicted to social media. They need someone to acknowledge them in life. I have no X or Facebook account and my life is fine.

 

[Seymour Flops]

When I was young, my local UHF station got me addicted to Leave it to Beaver.

Anyone know a good lawyer?

 

[The Duke]

When I was young, my local UHF station got me addicted to Leave it to Beaver.

Anyone know a good lawyer?

It's not the same. Some of that software was engineered to be addictive.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

When I was young, my local UHF station got me addicted to Leave it to Beaver.

Anyone know a good lawyer?

Well, you'd have to prove damages...like maybe have a shrine to Jerry Mathers you sacrifice cats on or something~

 

[1srelluc]

I bet the judgement get vacated on appeal.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

I bet the judgement get vacated on appeal.

It almost has to...this will go to the SCOTUS....stakes are too high and it would be new law.

 

[1srelluc]

It almost has to...this will go to the SCOTUS....stakes are too high and it would be new law.

They just vacated a billion dollar ruling.

Thread 'Supreme Court tosses $1B copyright verdict in record companies' battle over illegal internet downloads'

Mar 25, 2026

MSN

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled Wednesday that internet providers are not liable for copyright infringement by their users, delivering an opinion in Cox v. Sony and tossing a $1 billion verdict.

"Under our precedents, a company is not liable as a copyright infringer for merely providing a service to the public with knowledge that it will be used by some to infringe copyrights," Justice Clarence...

• 1srelluc
• Replies: 21
• Forum: Current Events

• 

 

[Muhammed]

Well now, this is a game-changer, if it holds up.
"The internet made me do it" may end up a valid legal defense?

If a teen girl is bullied into suicide--and it happens all too often---is the platform liable for the death?

What about teen-gamers hooked on WoW...or Call of Duty?

This is Pandora's box..for streaming platforms.

Meta and YouTube found liable on all charges in landmark social media addiction trial

The verdict, which caps a weeks-long trial in Los Angeles, could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.

www.cbsnews.com

A jury on Wednesday found that Meta and YouTube are liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users, a landmark decision that could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.

The jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages to the lead plaintiff in the case, a woman named Kaley. Identified in court filings by her initials "KGM," she alleged that using YouTube and Instagram from a young age led to addictive use of the platforms and contributed to her mental health problems, including depression, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts.

Jurors ruled that Meta and YouTube were negligent in designing and operating their platforms, factors that resulted in harm to the plaintiff. The jurors also found that the companies were aware that their platforms could have adverse effects on minors but failed to adequately warn users. Meta bears 70% of the responsibility, while YouTube shoulders 30%, the jury ruled.

Jurors also decided the companies acted with "malice, oppression or fraud," accounting for the $3 million award in punitive damages. Of that amount, Meta will be responsible for paying $2.1 million, and YouTube must pay $900,000.

And of course to protect the shareholder interests social media companies will respond to this nonsense by further enshitifying the internet.

That sucks.

I bet you anything that jury was full of moonbat millennials.

 

[Seymour Flops]

It's not the same. Some of that software was engineered to be addictive.

So was and is television.

Well, you'd have to prove damages...like maybe have a shrine to Jerry Mathers you sacrifice cats on or something~

I have a panic attack everytime my boss says, "Ah gee, Seymour! How could you do such a dumb thing?"

 

[drudge X]

They just vacated a billion dollar ruling.

Thread 'Supreme Court tosses $1B copyright verdict in record companies' battle over illegal internet downloads'

Mar 25, 2026

MSN

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled Wednesday that internet providers are not liable for copyright infringement by their users, delivering an opinion in Cox v. Sony and tossing a $1 billion verdict.

"Under our precedents, a company is not liable as a copyright infringer for merely providing a service to the public with knowledge that it will be used by some to infringe copyrights," Justice Clarence...

• 1srelluc
• Replies: 21
• Forum: Current Events

• 

If the ruling is in favor of the industry, I can see a massive class action against big tech companies in this AI era.

 

[WEATHER53]

And this will not only be for kids but eventually make its way into adult sites where donations are sought, advertisers active, all the trappings of a commercial site which is required to be truthful and not misleading . Multiple screen names and paid bots are deceitful. Censorship also . So some discussion sites for adults will have to change their ways also in the near future.

 

[JOSweetHeart]

It’s not just the young. I’ve seen many older people who are addicted to social media. They need someone to acknowledge them in life. I have no X or Facebook account and my life is fine.

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but if this forum didn't exist, where would you be then?

God bless you always!!!

Holly

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

Well now, this is a game-changer, if it holds up.
"The internet made me do it" may end up a valid legal defense?

If a teen girl is bullied into suicide--and it happens all too often---is the platform liable for the death?

What about teen-gamers hooked on WoW...or Call of Duty?

This is Pandora's box..for streaming platforms.

Meta and YouTube found liable on all charges in landmark social media addiction trial

The verdict, which caps a weeks-long trial in Los Angeles, could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.

www.cbsnews.com

A jury on Wednesday found that Meta and YouTube are liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users, a landmark decision that could set a legal precedent for similar allegations brought against social media companies.

The jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages to the lead plaintiff in the case, a woman named Kaley. Identified in court filings by her initials "KGM," she alleged that using YouTube and Instagram from a young age led to addictive use of the platforms and contributed to her mental health problems, including depression, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts.

Jurors ruled that Meta and YouTube were negligent in designing and operating their platforms, factors that resulted in harm to the plaintiff. The jurors also found that the companies were aware that their platforms could have adverse effects on minors but failed to adequately warn users. Meta bears 70% of the responsibility, while YouTube shoulders 30%, the jury ruled.

Jurors also decided the companies acted with "malice, oppression or fraud," accounting for the $3 million award in punitive damages. Of that amount, Meta will be responsible for paying $2.1 million, and YouTube must pay $900,000.

According to the NBC news report this evening, the plaintiff in this case said that she's been on social media since she was 6 years old and social media caused her to have body dysmorphic disorder (distorted perception of her appearance)

• She also had social phobia and insecurity about her looks
• These were linked, in her claim, to:
  • exposure to content
  • comparison culture
  • platform design encouraging validation-seeking behavior

So she and the other children who were harmed were raised without the benefit of parental guidance? And if so, how is that the fault of social media? Why do people with questionable parenting skills get to escape responsibility and offload it onto a "virtual" babysitter, forgetting those are real people behind those online IDs and there are just as many deranged, evil people, and predators online as there are in real life.

 

[drudge X]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but if this forum didn't exist, where would you be then?

God bless you always!!!

Holly

I post here on my spare time.