Social Media Company Novel Design Claims Can Proceed in L.A.

Social media giants will continue to face novel legal claims over youth addiction that could hold them liable for the design of their websites, a Los Angeles state judge ruled.

California law says a person who creates a dangerous condition “has a duty to warn those who might potentially be injured by that condition,” Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl said, allowing the non-product negligent failure-to-warn claims to proceed in California Superior Court, Los Angeles County.

As a result, social media giants like Meta Platforms Inc., Snap Inc., and Google LLC may be liable for reasonably predicting that the platforms could ...