A California jury appears to be moving toward a verdict against at least one major social media platform, Instagram or YouTube, on claims that their platforms are harmful and addictive to minors.
The 12 jurors in a Los Angeles civil court have been deliberating behind closed doors since 13 March. On Friday, they submitted a technical question to the judge and lawyers about potential damages to be awarded to the plaintiff. The inquiry suggests that a majority of at least nine jurors believe the social media platforms are partly responsible for negative effects and agree the plaintiff has demonstrated a link between the platforms and her mental health issues.
Despite this development, the jury did not reach a final decision before the end of Friday’s session and will resume deliberations on Monday.
If the jury concludes that Meta or YouTube acted with “malice” or engaged in “concealment,” a second phase of deliberations will begin to determine punitive damages, which could exceed compensation for the plaintiff’s direct losses.
This verdict is highly anticipated, as the trial is seen as a benchmark among thousands of similar lawsuits across the United States. Families are suing social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube, alleging they foster an epidemic of addiction rooted in the platforms’ very design.
The lawsuits focus on features like “likes,” infinite scrolling, autoplay, and aesthetic filters, which critics argue are specifically designed to hook users, particularly minors.
During the trial, YouTube adopted a defensive stance, comparing itself to traditional family television and emphasising that it has never been found culpable for fostering addiction.
