Meta appeals jury verdict in social media addiction lawsuit

Key Points:

• Meta has filed an appeal in Los Angeles County Superior Court challenging a jury verdict that found the company designed its platforms to addict young users, causing harm to a 20-year-old woman who sued over social media addiction and mental health issues.
• The original jury awarded the plaintiff $3 million in damages plus $3 million in punitive damages, finding negligence by both Meta and YouTube, with both companies denying responsibility and planning to appeal the decision.
• Meta and Google had previously filed motions to overturn the verdict or secure a new trial, both of which were denied by the trial judge, and the appeal process is expected to be lengthy.
• The lawsuit focused on platform design features like infinite scroll and autoplay to bypass legal protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields tech companies from liability for third-party content.
• The verdict comes amid other legal challenges for Meta, including a $375 million penalty from a New Mexico jury over similar claims about harm to children’s mental health, with Meta maintaining its confidence in protecting teens online and disputing the rulings.