Courts finally recognize dangers of social media

"The courts sanctioned the deliberate choice to pursue the attention of young people at the expense of their mental health. Even though the financial penalties remain symbolic at less than one-thousandth of a percentage of the companies' revenues, the two court rulings could trigger momentum capable of undermining the internet giants' defense."

"Thousands of pages of internal emails, strategic presentations and management memos showed that executives were well aware of these mechanisms and actively encouraged them. Auto-play videos, highly personalized recommendations, endless scrolling and constant notifications are not poorly controlled excesses, but are in fact at the very core of the platforms' business models."

"The shift recalls the landmark lawsuits against the tobacco industry, where manufacturers were ultimately held responsible for the harm caused by their products, despite health warnings. Social media companies may, in turn, be forced to fundamentally rethink their algorithms and interfaces."

Two court decisions in New Mexico and California held Meta and Alphabet liable for exposing minors to addictive content, leading to serious psychological consequences. Prosecutors bypassed Section 230 by focusing on how platforms maximize screen time for advertising revenue. Internal documents revealed executives were aware of and encouraged these attention-capturing mechanisms. The courts condemned the pursuit of young users' attention at the cost of their mental health. Although penalties are minimal and appeals are planned, these rulings may challenge the companies' defenses and prompt changes in their business models.

Read at Le Monde.fr