The jury in the social media addiction trial in Los Angeles told the judge on Monday that it is having difficulty coming to a consensus with one defendant.
The defendants are Google and Meta, but the jury did not specify which one it was referring to.
Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl said the jury should reach a verdict if it can, adding that the case will have to be retried with a new set of jurors if it cannot reach an agreement.
The jury has been deliberating for over a week in a trial that involves a young woman who said she became addicted to Google's YouTube and Meta's Instagram at a young age. The outcome of her case could influence thousands of similar cases against the tech companies brought by parents, attorneys general, and school districts.
Instagram exec defends app in youth mental health case
Additionally, last month, the top executive at Meta Platforms' Instagram defended the social media platform's choices regarding features that some company insiders called harmful to young users during a trial over claims that the app helped fuel a youth mental-health crisis.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, testified in Los Angeles as part of a trial on what plaintiffs call "social media addiction" in children and young adults. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was also expected to testify in the coming weeks.
A California woman who began using Instagram at age nine is suing Meta and Google's YouTube, saying the companies sought to profit by hooking young children on their services despite knowing social media could harm their mental health. She alleges the platforms contributed to her depression and body dysmorphia.