Meta and Google Lose California Social Media Addiction Trial, Must Pay Damages - CNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Tech > Services & Software > Mobile Apps A California woman sued the tech giants, alleging Instagram and YouTube were designed to be addictive to children. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaves Los Angeles Superior Court after testifying in a landmark trial on social media addiction. A California jury found both Instagram owner Meta and Google’s parent company Alphabet liable on Wednesday in a lawsuit brought by a 20-year-old woman who alleged that YouTube and Instagram were designed to be addictive to children. The verdict, reported earlier by Reuters, could have wide ramifications in a host of similar liability cases that have accused tech giants of intentionally creating addictive platforms to hook children as users. Meta and Google will have to pay $3 million in compensatory damages, to be split between the two tech giants. Meta will pay 70% while Google pays the remaining 30%. There could be additi