Meta Appeals Landmark $3M Social Media Addiction Verdict

Meta filed an appeal in Los Angeles on Monday, challenging a jury's finding that its platforms were designed to hook young users. The verdict, one of the first in a wave of social media addiction lawsuits, awarded $3 million in damages to a young woman who argued that Instagram and Facebook harmed her mental health.

The jury also found negligence by Google's YouTube. Both companies plan to appeal, citing the complexity of teen mental health issues and the difficulty of isolating platform design from other factors.

The appeal keeps the case alive in a legal battle that could reshape how social media companies design features for minors. Meta's filing argues that the jury's conclusion misapplied California law on product liability and free speech protections.