LOS ANGELES—A Los Angeles jury on March 25 found Google and Meta liable in a landmark social media addiction trial.
The case pitted a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as “Kaley G.M.” or “K.G.M” against the tech firms, asking a jury whether the tech titans could be found liable for psychological harms she suffered as a result of an addiction to their apps, YouTube and Instagram, respectively.
The jury awarded $3 million in damages to the plaintiff, with 70 percent responsibility ascribed to Meta and 30 percent to YouTube. The jury also determined both companies had acted with malice, oppression, or fraud—meaning they will be subject to punitive damages….