A Los Angeles jury has ordered tech giants Meta (banned in Russia) and Google to pay $6 million to 20-year-old Kaylee G. M., who says the companies engineered platforms that foster social media addiction. She told the court she began using Instagram and YouTube very young; over time that use, she says, contributed to depression and body dysmorphic disorder.
The jurors concluded app design choices were damaging — Meta will cover 70% of the award, Google 30%. Lawyers argued that engagement features, e.g., "infinite scrolling," were built to maximize attention and ad revenue. Testimony in court included denials from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri about the possibility of addiction, and Mark Zuckerberg defending beauty filters as a form of self-expression.
This verdict is the first among thousands of related US suits to reach a decision. TikTok and Snap resolved similar claims quietly (settlements), while Meta says it will appeal, arguing teen mental health is a complex issue, i.e., not reducible to a single cause.