Article by Viory
The Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday ordered social media giants Meta and YouTube to pay millions in damages to a former platform user after ruling that their ‘addictive product design’ caused harm to the victim’s mental health.
Footage shows family members and loved ones gathering outside the court, holding a large banner displaying the names of victims associated with social media. Photos of fentanyl poisoning victim Alexander Neville and bullying victim Annalee Amelia Schott can also be seen in the demonstration.
“These are the names of children who are no longer with us due to product design that these companies knew about all along. And truthfully, I know they’re not all there, but they are all with us,” Mary Rodee, mother of a victim, said.
“They’re not getting their kids back. This is not for them anymore. This is for all the kids out there, and this is just the beginning,” activist Lennon Torres added.
The 20-year-old Plaintiff, identified by the media as Kaley, was awarded 3 million dollars worth of damages after testifying in court that she became addicted to social media platforms while growing up, which worsened her mental health.
“We’ve already got 1000s of these lawsuits on file. I’m sure there will be a boatload more, and this is the tip of the spear,” the plaintiff’s lawyer Mark Lanier told reporters.
The jury also recommended an additional three million dollars in punitive damages, finding the companies acted in ill will, leaving it to the judge to decide the final amount.
Meta owners Mark Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri, and YouTube’s CEO Neal Mohan were reportedly not present for the final March 25 verdict announcement.
Meta is also facing a second verdict this week, after a New Mexico jury ruled the company harmed children’s mental health and safety in violation of state law.
Article by Viory
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