Are they the social networks the cause of the epidemic mental health What especially hits the youngest? Beyond the growing scientific evidence that supports it, many fathers and mothers denounce that it is not a coincidence, but the logical consequence of some digital platforms which, they point out, hooks their children to the screens of their mobile phones.
This week, their arguments could begin to transform the technology sector. USA will host in the coming days the first major judgment of several lawsuits against the giants Meta, TikTok y YouTube by addiction to their applications. As happened decades ago with the industry tobaccoa verdict contrary to the interests of those corporations could have profound consequences on the way in which Silicon Valley operates and on consumers.
This case begins with the complaint filed by a 19-year-old woman from California, identified as KGM, who claims that when she was even younger she became addicted to the platforms of these companies. In the court documents, which have been accessed The Washington Postclaims that Facebook, InstagramTikTok and YouTube caused anxiety y depression until leading her to have suicidal thoughts. Jury selection begins this Tuesday for a lawsuit that could last for months.
It is expected that the trial will force Mark Zuckerbergco-founder and CEO of Meta. He also had to testify Evan Spiegelexecutive director of Snapbut the platform—also sued by the young woman—reached an out-of-court agreement.
Thousands of lawsuits
This teenager’s lawsuit is just one of thousands of others that attorneys general, school districts and families have filed in USA claiming damages for harm caused by social media. In most of these, it is reported that these companies use algorithms to keep users hooked on the screen for as long as possible to maximize their benefits and without informing users of the danger what that entails. Several of those cases will go to trial this year.
However, being the first, a ruling favorable to the plaintiff could have reverberations throughout the country and erode the mechanisms that until now have protected the technology giants. Silicon Valley relies on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which exempts platforms from legal responsibility for the material published by its users.
The parallel between the moment that the technology industry is going through and the abuses in the commercialization of drugs It doesn’t end here. And, in addition to activating a million-dollar national public relations campaign to try to convince the public that its apps are safe, Meta has hired for its defense lawyers from Covington & Burling who represented the pharmaceutical company McKesson in a nearly seven-year litigation related to the epidemic of opiatesReuters reports, a case they lost.
Subscribe to continue reading
