- A California jury ordered Meta and YouTube to pay $6 million in damages.
- Utah therapists emphasize monitoring family social media use amid potential mental health risks.
- Therapists stress parental role in modeling behavior; tech firms may bear responsibility, too.
SALT LAKE CITY — A California jury has ordered Meta and YouTube to pay $6 million to a young woman who said she became addicted to their platforms — marking a first-of-its-kind legal victory that could influence thousands of similar cases across the country.
More than 2,000 lawsuits are currently lined up behind this one, all arguing that social media companies failed to warn users — especially minors — about the potential mental health risks of compulsive use.
Utah therapists say families in Utah should pay attention to the case and to their family's social media use. Leann Stange, a play therapist at Wasatch Family Therapy, said she regularly sees teenagers struggling with unhealthy social media habits.
"How much they are on social media feels like this longing for belonging and inclusion that they may not feel otherwise," said Stange. "A lot of folks will say the opposite of addiction is connection. Kids are searching for something that they may or may not be getting in their day-to-day, that's turning into something that's pulling them out of their lives and the opportunities that they could have to connect."
Stange said the behaviors she sees range from mild to severely unhealthy.
"We'll see even formal withdrawal symptoms — marked shifts in eating patterns and sleeping patterns," she said.
Depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia and social media
The California plaintiff argued that her excessive social media use contributed to depression, anxiety and body dysmorphia.
The jury agreed, pointing to platform design — including endless content feeds and rapid‑fire imagery — as potentially addictive features that should carry warnings. The plaintiff was awarded $3 million in punitive damages and $3 million in compensatory damages.
Chelsea Chen — an associate marriage and family therapist at Sand Castle Family Counseling in Riverton and a mom of three daughters — said she sees the same issues reflected in her own community.
"You don't know if it's because of social media that depression happens, but you often see them cohabitate. Depression and social media kind of pair nicely," Chen said.
Chen has taken a firm stance at home.
"I don't let them have social media. We don't even have phones until they're 15," she said. "I think parents still play a very important role in how social media can impact your children. And I think delaying it as long as possible is my goal."
The role of parents
Both therapists agree that parents play a crucial role — by modeling healthy behaviors and setting realistic limits — but believe the verdict signals that tech companies may bear responsibility, too.
"It really validates what parents and caregivers have been expressing for some time — that there's something here that isn't quite right," Stange said.
Legal teams for Meta and YouTube released statements disagreeing with the jury's decision and said they are evaluating next legal steps.
Meanwhile, there are more than 2,000 related cases that are currently pending, with plaintiffs hoping this California ruling will influence future verdicts.
