Meta and Google to pay $6 million as compensation to Kaley G.M

In California, the jury has ordered the big tech companies Meta and Google to pay a $6 million compensation to a girl named Kaley. She claimed that Meta 70% and Google 30% were responsible to harm her mental health, when she was a child.

According to reports Kaley (now 20) was eight- nine years when she made addiction to social media apps which ruined her childhood. She argued that due to the habit- forming nature of these apps she suffered from many issues including depression, anxiety, body image issues and even suicidal thoughts.

These platforms were alleged to resemble the concept of Digital Casino meaning that these apps were intentionally designed to hook the users for long periods. The case argued that with the use of features like endless scrolling, auto- play content, and smart recommendations these apps keep the users engaged.

This is considered as landmark verdict as its first time when social media companies are legally responsible for mental harm. It sets an example for future of tech companies as the growth must be important but not at the cost of mental well- being