Meta and Google Appeal $6 Million Ruling Over AI-Driven Social Media Addiction
A Los Angeles court ruled that Meta and Google must pay $6 million in damages to a woman who alleged she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube due to the platforms' infinite scroll and autoplay features. Both companies have appealed the verdict, which serves as a bellwether case for thousands of similar pending lawsuits involving social media and youth mental health.
What happened
A jury in Los Angeles found Meta and Google liable for $6 million in damagesโ$3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damagesโto a woman in her twenties identified as Kailey G. M. over allegedly addictive design features in Instagram and YouTube. The jury rejected the defendants' defense based on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and instead determined the platforms' infinite scroll and autoplay features themselves, rather than user-generated content, caused harm.
Judge Carolyn Coel declined Meta and Google's request for reconsideration and upheld the verdict. Both companies filed an appeal on July 10, 2026.
Reported impact
The plaintiff alleged she suffered addiction and related psychological harm from the platforms' design features.
Index analysis
This case serves as a bellwether trial for thousands of similar pending claims. Courts and policymakers will likely reference the outcome in evaluating whether algorithmic recommendation systems and platform features designed to maximize engagement constitute unfair or deceptive practices harming youth mental health.
Meta faces multiple related lawsuits, including a second bellwether trial brought by a 15-year-old from Florida identified as R.K.C., a $375 million penalty case brought by New Mexico, and a multistate action by 29 state attorneys general on social media harms.
Governance controls
Meta stated that adolescent mental health is complex and cannot be attributed to a single app, and claimed confidence in its record protecting youth online.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.