As many organizations celebrate outcome, some are skeptical as to what it means for privacy protections
The verdict in a landmark social media trial that Meta and YouTube deliberately designed addictive products has sparked calls for reform across borders. International human rights and tech freedom groups issued statements after the decision, praising jurors for holding social media companies accountable for harms to children and urging tech giants to change their design features to ensure children are safe.
Amnesty International said in a statement on Thursday that “this court decision is clear: these platforms are unsafe by design and meaningful change is urgently needed”.
The day prior, a Los Angeles jury found both Meta and YouTube liable for intentionally creating platforms that hooked a young user and led to her being harmed. The six-week trial was one of more than 20 “bellwether” trials that are expected to go to court in the next few years. The jury awarded the plaintiff in the case damages of $6m, with Meta to pay 70% and YouTube the remainder.
Plaintiffs have taken particular issue with the use of features such as infinite scroll and autoplay – arguing that they prioritize engagement over users’ well-being. These elements are particularly harmful for children, they say; the plaintiff in the Los Angeles case, a 20-year-old who went by the initials KGM, testified that she became addicted to YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine, which began a long cycle of depression, self-harm and body dysmorphia.
