A landmark trial against Meta and Google’s YouTube opened Monday in Los Angeles, with a plaintiffs’ lawyer accusing the tech giants of deliberately designing social media platforms to addict children.

Comparing social media to casinos and addictive drugs, attorney Mark Lanier told jurors the case was about “addicting the brains of children,” arguing that Meta and Google engineered features to keep young users glued to their screens. TikTok and Snap, initially named in the lawsuit, have already settled for undisclosed amounts.

The case centers on a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as “KGM,” one of three bellwether cases that could shape thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide. Lanier said KGM began using YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine, claiming heavy use harmed her mental health while she was still a minor.

Lanier pointed to internal Meta and Google documents, including studies showing children experiencing stress or trauma were especially vulnerable to compulsive use. He also cited internal messages likening products to drugs or casinos, and argued that features such as “like” buttons exploit teenagers’ need for social validation.

Meta pushed back, saying the science around social media addiction remains disputed and that the platforms were not a substantial factor in the plaintiff’s mental health struggles. Meta’s lawyer highlighted evidence of family conflict, bullying and emotional challenges, and noted that none of KGM’s mental health providers diagnosed her with social media addiction.

The trial, expected to last up to eight weeks, is one of several cases unfolding across the U.S. that seek to hold social media companies responsible for youth mental health harms. Executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify.

Source: APNews