Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has filed an appeal against a recent jury verdict that found the company liable for social media addiction. The lawsuit, centered in Los Angeles, accused Meta of designing its platforms to foster addiction in young users without regard for their well-being.
Lawyers for Meta submitted a notice of appeal Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Specific arguments for the appeal will be detailed in subsequent court filings. The initial case involved a 20-year-old woman who contended that her childhood social media use worsened her mental health struggles. A jury determined that negligence by both Meta and Google-owned YouTube significantly contributed to the harm experienced by the plaintiff, identified in court documents as KGM, or Kaley.
The jury had awarded the plaintiff $3 million in damages, with an additional $3 million in punitive damages recommended. The plaintiff's lead attorney, Mark Lanier, expressed confidence that the appellate court would uphold the trial court's decision.
This appeal initiates a potentially lengthy legal process. A Meta spokesperson reiterated a statement previously provided, asserting that teen mental health is a complex issue and cannot be solely attributed to a single application.
Post-trial motions filed by Meta and Google, seeking to overturn the jury's verdict or secure a new trial, were denied by the trial judge, Carolyn B. Kuhl, in early June. These motions are standard practice for defense attorneys after a jury ruling.
Meta and Google's platforms are generally protected from legal liability for third-party content under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. To circumvent these protections, the plaintiffs focused on platform design elements such as "infinite scroll" and autoplay features.
This verdict against Meta comes amid other legal challenges. Just one day prior to the California jury's decision, a jury in New Mexico found that Meta's platforms negatively impact children's mental health and safety, ordering the company to pay $375 million. Meta has stated its disagreement with this verdict and intends to appeal that case as well.
A Meta spokesperson stated that the company will continue to defend itself vigorously and remains confident in its online safety measures for teenagers.
Kaley's case is considered a landmark lawsuit, and its outcome could influence numerous similar cases pending against social media companies. TikTok and Snapchat's parent company, Snap Inc., were initially defendants but settled for undisclosed amounts before the trial commenced.