The jury in a major social media addiction case against Google and Meta is struggling to reach a verdict, potentially forcing a retrial.
LOS ANGELES: The jury in a landmark social media addiction trial has informed the judge it is struggling to reach a consensus regarding one of the defendants.
The defendants are Google and Meta, though the jury did not specify which company it was referring to in its note to the court.
Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl instructed the jurors to continue deliberating to reach a verdict if possible. She noted the case would have to be retried with a new jury if they cannot agree.
The jury has been deliberating for over a week in the trial, which centres on a young woman who claims she became addicted to Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram from a young age.
The outcome of this case is being closely watched as it could influence thousands of similar lawsuits filed against major tech companies by parents, school districts, and state attorneys general.
