A Los Angeles jury has handed down an unprecedented win for a young woman who sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media BBC News has reported.

Jurors found that Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, owner of YouTube, intentionally built addictive social media platforms that harmed the 20-year old’s mental health.

The woman, known as Kaley, was awarded 6m US Dollars in damages, a result likely to have implications for hundreds of similar cases now winding their way through US courts.

Meta and Google said separately that they disagreed with the verdict and would both appeal. Meta said: “Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.

Meta must pay $4.2 million in combined compensatory and punitive damages, and YouTube must pay $1.8 million.

In Vanuatu addiction to social media particularly Facebook and online games PUBG, is a growing concern impacting youth behavior, education, and cultural values.

According to local commentators and concerned citizens, excessive use has led to reduced academic performance, increased cyberbullying, and digital abuse.

This landmark trial should be a wakeup call for better digital literacy, parental control, and “digital detox” initiatives, and encourage face-to-face interaction and balance with technology.

Source: BBC News, The New York Times