Teen testifies in landmark trial against Meta and Google over social media addiction
Teen testifies in landmark trial against Meta and Google over social media addiction
A California teen tells a Los Angeles jury how Instagram and YouTube shaped her childhood, as a landmark case examines platforms' responsibility for young users.
A young woman known as Kaley took the stand in a landmark case accusing Meta and Google of addictive social media design, detailing how Instagram and YouTube helped shape her childhood. She told the jury in Los Angeles that she began using YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine, with no barriers to prevent her from spending long hours online. She described waking up to social media and continuing to scroll all day, which she says affected her school performance, family life, and mental health. She recalled the autoplay feature on YouTube and the endless scroll on Instagram as key tools that kept her engaged, even when she tried to disengage. Kaley added that not receiving enough “likes” on her posts left her feeling hurt and isolated, illustrating the personal toll of constant online feedback.\n\nMeta has argued that Kaley’s usage was not an addiction and that the platform was not to blame for her mental health issues. While much of the proceedings have focused on Instagram and Meta, Google’s YouTube is also a defendant in the suit. TikTok and Snapchat were initially part of the lawsuit but settled before trial, with terms not disclosed. The case is expected to run through March and represents the first legal ruling on the responsibility of social media operators for their youngest users. The outcome could influence thousands of similar lawsuits filed by families and state governments across the country. Kaley’s testimony arrives as a broader debate intensifies over how apps are designed, how children are safeguarded, and what accountability tech companies should bear for harms linked to usage.
