Meta, YouTube to pay woman Ksh. 389 million in landmark social media addiction trial

“Kaley” sued YouTube, TikTok, Snap and Meta, the owner of Instagram and Facebook, in 2023. 

She accused them of making their apps addictive, which she said caused significant harm to her mental health. 

The Los Angeles jury decided the companies were liable as they were negligent in the designs of Instagram and YouTube, and failed to warn users sufficiently.

Matthew Bergman, one of the woman’s attorneys, said in a statement: “By finding Meta and Google responsible, the jury has affirmed what parents, educators, and mental health professionals have been warning for years: The design of social media platforms poses a clear and present danger to America’s children, and the companies behind them must answer for the consequences.”

A significant part of the lawsuit came from Victoria Burke, a licensed therapist who diagnosed Kaley with social phobia and body dysmorphic disorder when she was 13. 

She testified during the trial that she believed the woman’s social media experience was a “contributing factor” to her mental health.

The 20-year-old was awarded $3million in compensatory damages, and the companies were ordered to pay a further $3million in punitive damages. 

To break down those costs, Meta will pay 70 per cent ($2.1 million or Ksh. 272 million ), and Google 30 per cent ($900k or Ksh. 116 million). 

Meta and Google have both said they plan to appeal the verdict.

The lawsuit is historic because it is the first of its kind, and could set a trend. There are currently numerous similar suits pending around the US.

A Meta statement read: “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal.

Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app. We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as every case is different, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online."

A spokesperson for Google added: “This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site."