For US court, big wahala dey as jury for landmark social media addiction trial no fit reach agreement on whether Meta and YouTube responsible for one young woman mental health problems. The case na first of many wey dey challenge social media companies for how dem design apps wey dey hook young people.
Judge Carolyn Kuhl receive note from jurors on Friday wey say dem dey struggle to reach consensus on one of the two defendants – Meta (owner of Instagram) and YouTube (owned by Google). The jurors ask judge for advice on how to move forward since dem no dey agree on one company.
Judge Kuhl tell jurors to continue their deliberations and warn say if dem no fit reach verdict, the case go start all over with new jury. “If you are unable to reach a verdict, the case will have to be applied before another jury selected in the same manner and from the same community from which you were chosen, and add additional cost to everyone,” Judge Kuhl tell dem.
The jury don spend one full week dey deliberate on this important case wey expected to set precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits across America. On Friday, dem send judge query about how to calculate damages, wey show say at least some jurors believe one or both companies negligent.
This lawsuit na part of hundreds of cases wey accuse social media companies of designing addictive products wey dey harm children mental health. The companies dey use Section 230 of US Communications Decency Act to protect themselves from responsibility for user content, but this case argue say the apps themselves na defective products.
The case focus on Kaley G.M., 20-year-old California woman wey testify say YouTube and Instagram fuel her depression and suicidal thoughts from when she dey six years old. She tell court say she become obsessed with social media, starting with YouTube videos as small pikin.
But during cross-examination, Kaley also talk about family problems wey include feeling neglected and picked on by family members. This na important point because jury must decide whether family issues or social media apps cause her mental health problems.
Jury get form wey ask dem to decide if Meta or YouTube suppose know say their services dey dangerous for children, and if dem negligent in design. If dem find companies responsible, dem go decide how much damages to pay Kaley.
This trial na “bellwether” case wey mean say the outcome go set standard for how to handle thousands of similar lawsuits across America. If jury no fit agree on verdict for Meta or YouTube, another case go need to set that precedent.
Plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier say dem still dey wait for jury decision. “We’re reading tea leaves and we don’t know what they mean,” Lanier talk. “I don’t think that we’re even remotely close to the issue of a mistrial.”
The case dey important because e go determine whether social media companies fit be held responsible for how dem design addictive features wey dey keep users scrolling. Many experts dey watch this trial as test for whether tech companies fit be sued for product design instead of just user content.
Jury go return to court on Tuesday to continue deliberations. The whole tech industry dey watch this case closely because if companies lose, e go open floodgates for more lawsuits and possibly force changes to how social media apps dey designed for young users.
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