Meta and YouTube accused of creating harmful products in trial seen as a bellwether for attitudes towards social media
The first-ever jury trial over the potential harms of social media wrapped up on Thursday. Lawyers for Meta and YouTube have argued their platforms are safe for the vast majority of young people, while lawyers for a young woman at the center of the case say the tech companies have designed their products to be addictive, leading to mental health issues in children and teens.
The six-week trial has seen a parade of high-profile witnesses, including Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and YouTube’s vice-president of engineering Cristos Goodrow. Jurors have also heard testimony from the lead plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman who goes by the initials KGM, her therapist and expert witnesses on social media and addiction.
If jurors rule in favor of KGM, the social media companies could face harsh financial penalties, which plaintiffs’ lawyers hope will lead them to change fundamental aspects of how their platforms function. In this case, the burden of proof is on the plaintiffs. The jury would need to find negligence and causation by YouTube and Meta before it could impose damages, so the outcome of the trial could take several different forms. Deliberations are set to begin on Friday.
