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A landmark trial is underway in Los Angeles Superior Court, where major social media companies are facing accusations that they intentionally designed their platforms to create addiction in children and teens. The case is being heard by a jury and is considered a test case for hundreds of similar lawsuits across the United States.
The lead plaintiff is a 20-year-old from California, identified as KGM, who claims that using Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat from an early age caused her anxiety, depression and body image issues. TikTok and Snapchat have reached an out-of-court settlement, while Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, and Google, the owner of YouTube, remain in the process.
The plaintiffs argue that the companies used design elements intended to keep users engaged for long periods, including “infinite scroll,” the like button, and image filters. According to the plaintiffs’ attorney, Mark Lanier, these mechanisms were intentionally designed to encourage users to keep coming back because the more time they spend on the platform, the greater the profit for the companies.
On the other hand, Meta and Google deny the accusations. In a public response, Meta stated that the issue of adolescent mental health is complex and cannot be reduced to a single factor. The company emphasizes that academic pressure, social challenges and other factors affect the well-being of young people. Google also stated that it has developed policies and tools to create age-appropriate experiences and empower parents with supervisory controls.
In this context, Mark Zuckerberg was called to testify because the court considers his testimony essential to understanding decision-making at Meta's highest management level. Judge Carolyn Kuhl ruled that his appearance is "particularly important" to the case, overturning his previous attempt to avoid physical presence in court.
Zuckerberg has previously testified before the US Congress on issues related to the safety of young people on the company's platforms, but this is the first time he has appeared before a jury in a civil trial of this type.
The jury will not examine specific content posted on social media. It will decide whether the companies were negligent in designing and modifying their products to encourage prolonged use and whether that negligence caused significant harm.
The decision is expected to have far-reaching consequences for the technology industry. If the jury finds liability, the companies could face damages and pressure to change how they design their platforms for new users.
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