Google and Meta face multiple trials over social media addiction and child safety

Social media addiction lawsuits overview:

• Who: A California jury is hearing a bellwether trial against Google and Meta, while New Mexico’s attorney general is pursuing a lawsuit against Meta.
• Why: Plaintiffs claim the platforms are designed to be addictive to minors, causing mental health issues and exposing children to sexual exploitation risks.
• Where: Cases are currently pending in California and New Mexico state courts.
• How to get help: Have you or your child been affected by compulsive social media usage? You may qualify to join a social media lawsuit against the platform.

Legal pressure on social media giants intensified as Google and Meta entered trial proceedings over the effects of social media addiction and the impact of their platforms on youth, Law360 reports.

In a California state court, opening arguments began in a bellwether trial — the first of at least nine planned — that could determine the trajectory of thousands of consolidated personal injury cases.

The plaintiff in the California case, identified as Kaley G.M., alleges she suffered severe mental health issues due to an addiction to Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram. Her attorney, Mark Lanier, argued that internal documents will reveal the companies prioritized engagement over safety, Law360 reports.

“They didn’t set out to build a library,” Lanier stated during opening arguments. “They set out, the evidence will show, to build an addiction machine.” 

The prosecution contends that Google and Meta maintained their designs even after internal data indicated harmful effects on minors.

In response, Meta’s legal team argued that the plaintiff’s mental health struggles were not caused by social media, but rather by documented family issues and abusive parents. 

While TikTok and Snap were originally named in the social media addiction suit, both companies recently reached settlement deals, leaving Google and Meta to face the jury alone in this proceeding.

New Mexico alleges ‘outright lies’ regarding child safety as Meta lawsuit begins

Simultaneously, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has taken Meta to trial, alleging the company violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act. 

The Meta lawsuit claims the company misled the public by claiming its platforms were safe for children while internally acknowledging risks of sexual exploitation and mental health decline, Law360 reports.

Torrez argues that Meta allowed children under 13 to join the platforms and failed to protect older teens from predatory contact. The prosecution claims Meta’s public safety assurances were “deceptive and misleading and, in some instances, outright lies.”

Meta’s defense maintains the company has been “careful, proactive and scrupulous.” Defense attorneys argued that Meta transparency reports show the volume of inappropriate content removed and that the company actively reports predators to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

These social media addiction trials are part of a massive wave of litigation. A parallel proceeding involving school districts and dozens of states is pending in California federal court. The outcome of these state-level trials may influence potential settlements for thousands of other families.

Meanwhile, attorneys general from 29 states argue a single joint trial is the most efficient way to resolve their claims against Meta Platforms.

What do you think of accusations in these social media addiction lawsuits? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Mariana A. McConnell of Kiesel Law LLP; W. Mark Lanier, Sarah Lanier and Rachel Lanier of The Lanier Law Firm; Rahul Ravipudi of Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP; Adam S. Davis of Wagstaff & Cartmell LLP; and Joseph VanZandt of Beasley Allen Law Firm.

The California social media addiction lawsuit is Social Media Cases, Case No. JCCP5255, in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. 

New Mexico is represented by Donald A. Migliori of Motley Rice LLC and Raúl Torrez of the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General.

The New Mexico Meta lawsuit is State of New Mexico v. Meta Platforms Inc., et al., Case No. D-101-CV-2023-02838, in the 1st Judicial Circuit of New Mexico.

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