NewzVille International
A landmark trial in California began Monday, examining whether Instagram and YouTube harmed children’s mental health through intentionally addictive designs.
A lawyer for a 20-year-old woman, identified as Kaley G.M., told jurors that she became hooked on social media at a young age due to deliberate product design choices. Kaley is suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and Google, which owns YouTube.
Kaley’s lawyer, Mark Lanier, accused Meta and YouTube of deliberately creating what he described as “addiction machines” aimed at children.
Lanier told jurors that these platforms were not accidental products of innovation, but systems carefully engineered to keep young users engaged for as long as possible.
Both Meta and YouTube have denied the allegations. Meta countered and said that evidence suggest Kaley’s struggles stemmed from family problems and real-world bullying affecting her self-esteem. Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg is expected to be on the stand next week.
The case is being treated as a bellwether proceeding because its outcome could set the tone for a tidal wave of similar litigation across the United States.
Lawyers for YouTube are to present opening remarks to the jury on Tuesday. Snapchat and TikTok were named as defendants in the suit, but struck settlement deals before the start of the trial.
