Latin America. In a decision considered historic by the United States justice system, the giants Youtube and Meta were found guilty of negligence in generating addiction to social networks, in a trial held in Los Angeles.
According to the ruling, the design characteristics of its platforms harmed a 20-year-old woman who generated addiction to social networks and ended up with mental health problems, anxiety problems and depression.
Among the features denounced are the infinite scrolling of content or the recommendations driven by the algorithm, which the court said are as addictive as tobacco or gambling.
The ruling forces Meta, owner of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, to pay US$4.2 million and Youtube US$1.8 million. It was learned that TikTok and Snap, owner of Snapchat, who were also included in the lawsuit, made a private agreement with the plaintiff before the trial began.
In their defense, the companies have invoked Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, through which they protect themselves from liability for what their users publish. For its part, Youtube claims that it is a video platform, not a social network.
The ruling sets a precedent against these tech giants, who have more lawsuits underway in the same vein.
