Two multi-million dollar verdicts in favor of social media users may mark the beginning of the dam breaking and justice served for everyone affected by social media use. Jurors sided with plaintiffs and prosecutors against technology companies like Meta and YouTube in cases that alleged extreme harm caused by the companies’ negligent behavior. Atlee Hall recognizes the potential and widespread damage that social media use has caused and could cause in the future. Our firm has always stood up for those harmed by negligence, including people hurt by decisions made by large corporations. Learn more about these landmark cases and how the product liability lawyers at Atlee Hall can help fight for compensation.
What Were the Outcome of the Cases involving Meta & YouTube?
Two separate cases, one in Los Angeles and the other in Sante Fe courts, resulted in juries ruling against tech companies and in favor of plaintiffs and prosecutors respectively. The case in California was brought forward by a young woman identified as K.G.M. when she alleged that she became addicted to social media apps like Instagram and YouTube as a child. The case in New Mexico was brought by state prosecutors who accused Meta of prioritizing profits over user safety and violating the state’s Unfair Practices Act on its various platforms.
Los Angeles Jurors Side with Plaintiff, Award $6 Million in Compensation & Damages
Jurors made their decision Wednesday, March 25, in favor of K.G.M, the plaintiff in a personal injury trial filed against Meta and YouTube. The jury agreed with the plaintiff that the social media platforms and their parent companies were negligent, having failed to warn their users of the potential dangers linked to the use of their products. K.G.M. claimed she became addicted to using the companies’ apps at a young age, and that addiction was a “substantial factor” in the harm that use caused her mental health.
The plaintiff was awarded $3 million in compensatory damages, with the companies sharing the damages at 70%- 30% between Meta and YouTube, respectively. K.G.M. was also awarded to punitive damages of $3 million.
New Mexico Jurors Agree with Prosecutors, Penalize Meta $375M for Thousands of Violations
A jury in New Mexico determined on Tuesday, March 24, that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health with its practices across several apps, as well as concealing what it knew about child sexual exploitation on the company’s social media platforms. The jury agreed with prosecutors, who had argued that the tech giant had chosen to pursue profits instead of protecting users. The jury found that Meta had committed thousands of violations, with the maximum penalty for each violation being $5,000, resulting in a total of $375 million owed by Meta.
What This Means for Future Cases Against Tech Companies
Going forward, there is a high likelihood of more lawsuits being filed against large tech companies for harm caused by their business practices. The final decisions in these cases set a precedent for subsequent cases, and could lead to major changes to the social media platforms.
Even though these apps and social media sites claim to have safety features to limit what some users view or interact with, the juries’ decisions illustrate that the content is not the issue. Rather, it’s that executives were told about the problems and did not take adequate steps to address them. By pointing out these flaws, plaintiff attorneys and prosecutors can overcome many rebuttals tech companies make, specifically about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. This section typically shields companies from liability for the content found there and limits the scope of what the app publishers can be held responsible for.
How Atlee Hall Can Help You with a Social Media Claim
The product liability attorneys at Atlee Hall believe developers and companies should be held accountable when their negligence brings harm to users, especially when known issues could be corrected to curb potential harm. We take special care when the injured party in question is a child hurt by a defective product. The juries’ decisions in these two cases illustrate a shift in the legal climate to pursuing damages. More cases like these are coming, and people hurt by negligence could seek compensation.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry joined other state attorney generals in a lawsuit filed in 2023 against Meta. The lawsuit claimed that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram in a way that creates addiction in children and teens intentionally. This design violates state and federal laws that protect consumers and children’s privacy online. This lawsuit is just one of thousands that claim Meta and social media apps can contribute to mental health crises in young users.
Filing a Product Liability Claim for Harmful Social Media Use
When you or a loved one have been hurt by a defective product, you are allowed to pursue compensation. While most cases may revolve around products like automobiles or items of a more “physical” sense, social media apps are still products that are eligible for compensation.
As demonstrated in K.G.M.’s case, her attorneys were able to demonstrate that Meta and other tech companies failed to warn its users sufficiently that there was a danger to using their social media products too often or for too long. In New Mexico, the jury agreed that Meta knew of the defects or dangers to their users and failed to take action, which can also constitute negligence.
Filing a product liability claim takes more than just feeling like you are owed money for using a product that you think hurt you. Different theories of liability guide these claims, like ordinary negligence, strict liability, or breach of warranty. Atlee Hall understands that these cases are complex and nuanced, but we are ready to answer your questions to help you determine if you have a personal injury claim related to social media use.
Who May Have a Valid Social Media Product Liability Claim?
While every case is unique, there are common circumstances that may indicate you or a loved one has grounds for a product liability claim related to social media use. You may have a valid claim if you or someone you know has experienced significant mental health struggles, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, or self-harm, that can be connected to prolonged or compulsive social media use, particularly if that use began during childhood or adolescence.
Other factors that may strengthen a claim include:
- documented diagnosis from a medical or mental health professional
- evidence of excessive or compulsive use of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or YouTube
- a measurable impact on daily life such as disrupted relationships, declining academic or work performance, or required medical treatment.
It is important to understand that filing a claim does not guarantee a financial recovery. As seen in the cases above, successful outcomes depend on the ability to demonstrate that a company was negligent, that their product caused measurable harm, and that there is a clear connection between the two. Every case is evaluated on its own merits, and results will vary.
If you are unsure whether your experience meets the threshold for a claim, the attorneys at Atlee Hall are here to listen and help you understand your options. We can help you find evidence to prove your product injury claim has legal footing. A consultation is the first step toward finding out if you have a path to compensation.
Call Atlee Hall for Help with Product Liability Claims
Social media platforms are prevalent in everyday life for nearly everyone. Keeping boundaries or limiting use can be a challenge, especially if the products are designed in a way to trap users’ attention. Atlee Hall’s product liability attorneys understand how daunting it may feel to prove actual harm in a defective product argument. We’re here to help you investigate your claim and see if there is a credible claim to file a lawsuit to pursue compensation for you or a loved one’s harmful addiction to social media.
Call (717) 393-9596 today or complete our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation about a potential product liability claim.
