[Young journalist Hojun Lee] A U.S. court has recognized the harm caused by teenagers’ addiction to social media services (SNS) and held Meta and Google liable for damages. The verdict is drawing attention because it could serve as a “test case” that will determine the direction of thousands of similar lawsuits in the future.

According to AP and Reuters on the 25th (local time), a jury in a California state trial court in Los Angeles ruled that Instagram and YouTube, operated by the two companies, were responsible for teenage SNS addiction.

The ruling includes $3 million in compensatory damages for the plaintiff’s harm, along with an equal amount in punitive damages.

If the verdict is finalized, 70% of the compensation will be paid by Meta, and the remaining 30% by Google.

The decision was reached after more than a month of trial and over 40 hours of jury deliberation across nine days.

During the proceedings, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri were also called to testify as witnesses.

The plaintiff, a woman in her 20s identified as “Kaylee G.M.,” claimed that after starting to use YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, she suffered from depression and physical health problems due to SNS addiction. She argued that this was because the platforms were designed to addict users.

The plaintiff also filed lawsuits against TikTok and Snap, which operates Snapchat, but those companies settled before trial.

Meta argued that Kaylee had mental health issues unrelated to social media, while YouTube claimed that its platform was not social media but rather a video platform similar to television. However, the jury ultimately found them responsible.

Considering that this lawsuit is a “bellwether trial” that could shape the direction of social media litigation, if the verdict is upheld, similar rulings may follow in future lawsuits against SNS companies. 

According to NPR, around 2,000 similar lawsuits filed by parents and school districts are currently underway across the United States.

Sarah Kreps, a professor at Cornell University, explained, “There are hundreds of similar cases pending in California alone, and thousands in total. Once even one such ruling is made, it will open the floodgates for numerous follow-up lawsuits.”

In a statement, Meta said, “We respectfully disagree with this verdict and are reviewing our legal options.”

José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, also stated that “YouTube is a streaming platform, not a social media site,” arguing that the verdict misunderstands YouTube.

▶원문 기사: "SNS 중독 책임 인정"…美 배심원단, 메타·구글에 600만달러 배상 평결
 

◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with  이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

ⓒ이코노미스트(https://economist.co.kr) '내일을 위한 경제뉴스 이코노미스트' 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지