Jury deadlocked in landmark Meta, Youtube social media addiction trial

Jurors deadlocked in social media addiction lawsuit

 Deliberations are set to continue Tuesday after jurors reported difficulty reaching a verdict for one of the defendants in a potentially landmark lawsuit accusing social media companies of using addictive practices that allegedly contributed to mental health and other harms.

LOS ANGELES - Jurors are scheduled to resume deliberations Tuesday morning after signaling a stalemate regarding one of the defendants in a high-stakes lawsuit against tech giants Meta and YouTube. 

Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl warned that a failure to reach a consensus would necessitate a partial retrial for the unnamed party.

What we know:

The trial, which began its deliberation phase on March 13, centers on claims by K.G.M., a 20-year-old from Chico.

The plaintiff alleges that she was targeted by "addictive practices" during her youth. 

While TikTok and Snap were originally part of the suit, both settled out of court before the trial commenced. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Jury deliberations continue in landmark social media addiction trial against Meta, Google

On Friday, the jury indicated they had moved past the liability phase and were weighing financial damages, though Monday’s note suggests a late-stage impasse regarding one specific defendant.

What they're saying:

The plaintiff’s attorney Mark Lanier used vivid imagery during closing arguments, comparing the social media companies to a "lion stalking a pack of vulnerable gazelles." 

He argued the platforms utilized a "Trojan horse" strategy, where "users are drawn in by the content's 'wonderful and great' appearance, but find themselves taken over by the reels on their devices."

On the other hand, defense attorneys for Meta and YouTube have questioned the medical validity of "social media addiction." 

They argued that K.G.M.'s mental health struggles were rooted in her personal environment, specifically citing "alleged verbal and physical abuse by her parents" rather than platform algorithms.

What's next:

If the jury remains deadlocked on Tuesday, Judge Kuhl will likely have to declare a mistrial for the specific defendant involved. 

The outcome is expected to set a massive legal precedent for hundreds of similar lawsuits currently pending against social media "behemoths" across the country.