In what Marlo Greer refers to as a “bellwether trial,” a California jury found Meta Platforms – the company behind Facebook and Instagram, among other services – negligent for creating an addictive product. The court awarded $6 million in damages to a woman harmed by Meta’s Instagram product.
Marlo notes this case is crucial because it shows Meta knew Instagram was addictive and failed to fix it. This case, unlike some other cases filed against Meta, was not about what people post on the platform. It wasn’t about how posts were moderated by Meta. And it wasn’t about what role parents should play in monitoring how their children access and use social media.
Instead, it was about the nature of the product itself – whether or not it was addictive, and whether or not Meta knew it was addictive. The trial revealed that Meta intentionally kept its products addictive despite knowing the risks to users.
Two other defendants in the case – Snap Inc. (responsible for Snapchat) and TikTok – saw the writing on the wall and settled out of court before trial. Meta, however, persisted… and lost. Google remained in the case and was also found liable by the jury for its YouTube product.
Even though the jury decided against Meta, the case isn’t over. Meta continues to fight it tooth and nail. Court records show that Meta opposed the winning plaintiff’s attempt to recover court costs after the trial. It then filed – and lost – a motion asking the judge to reverse the jury’s verdict and hold another trial. It has now appealed the jury verdict.
Hundreds of similar lawsuits allege that social media companies knowingly profit from designing and promoting addictive products.
If toy companies made products that lured and harmed children this way, it would cause an immediate public uproar. Those defective toys would be recalled immediately, and the manufacturers would face undeniable liability. Yet Meta continues to fight, despite clear evidence showing it understood the consequences all along.
Greer Law Fights for Those Harmed by Defective Products
Instagram is a product. Facebook is a product. YouTube is a product. All of these social media apps are products. If a negligently designed product injured you, Greer Law can help you recover full compensation. Our personal injury attorneys know how to build convincing claims and aggressively fight for your rights in court.
If you have been harmed by an addictive online product or service, contact Greer Law today. Call us at 303-331-6460 or reach out to us online. We’ll schedule a free consultation to learn more about your case and explain what our experienced attorneys can do to help.
