A California jury found Meta and YouTube liable this week for creating an addictive product that harmed the mental health of a young woman, ordering the two companies to pay $6 million in damages.
A California jury found Meta and YouTube liable this week for creating an addictive product that harmed the mental health of a young woman, ordering the two companies to pay $6 million in damages. Both companies plan to appeal, but the verdict is already raising questions about whether it marks a turning point in how social media companies are regulated.
Barry Davis, professor emeritus of biostatistics and data science at the University of Texas Public Health and author of "The Preventioneers: Diseases, Disasters and Discoveries that Changed Our World," called the decision the start of something significant."I think it's the beginning of something big," Davis said. "It took a long time for these cases to go through the courts and to actually have them be held liable for something. In this case, they were held liable for product design."Davis said history suggests the verdict will not be an isolated event."Something has to happen first, and then there's sort of a cascade of what could happen next," he said. "It's never one straight line. It's always a little bit forward and then a little bit backward. But if there is some forward movement, then there's more and more light shining on the issue."The case drew widespread comparisons to landmark lawsuits against the tobacco industry, as well as earlier battles over automobile safety in the 1960s — when regulators and advocates fought for years before car manufacturers were required to improve vehicle design to reduce injuries."The pattern is such that people realize that there's some sort of harm and then evidence accumulates and then there's some action," Davis said. "But what happens is there is a resistance — in the case of big tobacco, obviously, it's the tobacco industry. In the case here, it's obviously the big tech industry."The verdict comes amid growing public awareness of the dangers of social media, particularly for young people. Australia has banned social media use for those under 16, and cell phone restrictions in U.S. schools have become increasingly common.Davis said the most important takeaway for parents and Americans is that social media addiction is not simply a matter of individual willpower."It's not just individual behavior, it's the environment," he said. "It's up to all of us to try and create a safer environment — that can be done through legislatures, through professional norms. I would hope that the wider environment would become safer for everyone, not only just for teens."
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How the landmark verdict against Meta and YouTube could hit their businessesMeta and Alphabet, the parent company of YouTube, saw their stock price drop this week after a jury found the companies liable for the design and operations of their platforms, harming a young user.
Read more »
Meta and Google Lose Landmark Social Media Addiction CaseAn LA jury has found that Meta and Google are liable for harm caused to a young woman who says she developed an addiction to their platforms.
Read more »
Meta's next AI glasses are reportedly designed with prescription lenses in mindFind the latest technology news and expert tech product reviews. Learn about the latest gadgets and consumer tech products for entertainment, gaming, lifestyle and more.
Read more »
Meta’s next smart glasses sound like a treat for humans stuck with prescription lensesTech Product Reviews, How To, Best Ofs, deals and Advice
Read more »
Finally, social media companies are being held accountableA California jury found Meta and Google responsible for addictive social media algorithms.
Read more »
Meta and YouTube fined $3 million for harming mental healthIn a landmark trial, social media giants Meta and YouTube were found negligent and ordered to pay for harming a user's mental health. The decision could force major changes in how social platforms work
Read more »