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California court hears opening arguments in social media addiction case
A high-stakes trial began Monday in Los Angeles, where tech giants Meta and YouTube face allegations of deliberately designing platforms to addict children. The case, heard before Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl and a jury, could set a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide.
Plaintiff's attorney paints tech firms as 'addiction machines'
Mark Lanier, representing the plaintiff identified only as K.G.M., argued that Meta and YouTube built systems to exploit young users' brain development. "These companies created machines designed to addict children's brains, and they did it intentionally," he told the court.
Lanier displayed children's blocks spelling "Addicting Brains Children" to underscore his point. He cited internal documents, including a 2015 email from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding a 12% increase in user "time spent" to meet business targets.
For YouTube, owned by Google, Lanier claimed the platform targeted minors to charge advertisers higher rates than its YouTube Kids service. He accused the company of marketing itself as a "digital babysitter" for busy parents.
Defense blames family trauma, not platforms
Meta's attorney, Paul Schmidt, countered that K.G.M.'s struggles stemmed from severe family dysfunction. He described a history of neglect, physical and verbal abuse, and bullying by her parents, noting she began therapy at age three.
"I recognize those are tough quotes," Schmidt told jurors, displaying K.G.M.'s statements about her mother calling her "stupid" and making her want to "kill herself." "In a case about psychological distress, this is what you must consider."
Trial to feature high-profile testimony
Over the next six weeks, the court will hear from experts, families of deceased children, and tech executives, including Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri, and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. Former Meta employees turned whistleblowers are also expected to testify about the platforms' addictive designs.
The outcome could establish a benchmark for damages in similar cases, with thousands of plaintiffs-including state prosecutors and school districts-watching closely.
States demand sweeping platform reforms
In a parallel case, 29 state attorneys general filed a motion Monday urging a California federal judge to force Meta to overhaul its practices. Their demands include:
- Removing all accounts belonging to users under 13;
- Deleting data collected from minors and related algorithms;
- Imposing time restrictions to block school- and night-time use;
- Disabling "addictive" features like infinite scroll and autoplay;
- Turning off photo filters that alter beauty perceptions.
Eighteen states also seek stricter consumer protections. The attorneys dismissed Meta's recent "teen account" safeguards as a "public relations measure" with minimal impact.
Public pressure mounts as trial unfolds
About 100 spectators filled the gallery Monday, including parents who believe their children died due to the platforms' design choices. Meta and YouTube maintain they are shielded from liability for third-party content under federal law.
Snap and TikTok settled with K.G.M. last month, leaving Meta and YouTube as the sole defendants. The trial's verdict could reshape how social media companies design and regulate their platforms for young users.
