U.S. Meta decision could affect B.C. lawsuit, lawyer says
A lawyer involved in a B.C. lawsuit against social media giant Meta says a decision in the U.S. could affect the court case in this province.
On Wednesday, a jury declared that Meta and YouTube must pay millions in damages to a 20-year-old woman after they found that the companies designed their platforms to hook young people without concern for their well-being, according to the Associated Press.
The woman, identified as KGM, started using YouTube at six years old and Instagram at nine, and testified that her addiction led to anxiety, depression and self-harm.
The jury awarded her $6 million in damages.
“There are so many families who have been tragically hurt through the addiction of social media,” Mark Lanier, KGM’s lawyer, said.
It is the second blow to Meta this week after a jury in New Mexico ordered the social media giant to pay $375 million for violating child safety laws and hiding what it knew about the dangers of sexual exploitation on its apps.
In both cases, Meta and Google are exploring legal options, including appeals.
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Lawyers in B.C. are also suing Meta in a proposed class action civil suit.
“The decision in New Mexico relates to conduct we say is illegal in Canada,” Reidar Mogerman, class action co-lead counsel, said.
“The finding that it is a broad, system-wide impact that’s causing harm to children is exactly the kind of thing we’re going to be litigating in Canada, and we see it as a really beneficial step and guide for us as we move our case forward.”
The Canadian lawsuit against Meta could include thousands of children across the country, but at this point, the precise number is unknown because the case has yet to be certified as a class action.
Meta denies the allegations, none of which have been proven in court. A hearing to determine whether a class action will proceed is expected next year.
–with files from Rumina Daya
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