Meta, TikTok and YouTube Face Trial Over Youth Addiction Claims

Meta Platforms, TikTok and YouTube will face courtroom scrutiny this week over allegations that their platforms are fuelling a youth mental health crisis, as the national debate over children’s screen time enters a new phase.

 

The trial, taking place in California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, is seen as a test case for thousands of other lawsuits seeking damages for social media harms -- a legal challenge that could weaken Big Tech’s long-standing liability defence.

 

The plaintiff, a 19-year-old woman identified as K.G.M., claims she became addicted to the platforms at a young age due to their attention-grabbing design, according to court filings. She alleges the apps contributed to her depression and suicidal thoughts, and is seeking to hold the companies responsible. Jury selection begins on Tuesday.

 

K.G.M.’s lawsuit is the first of several cases expected to go to trial this year focusing on what plaintiffs call “social media addiction” among children. It marks the first time the tech giants will defend themselves in court over alleged harm caused by their products, said plaintiff’s attorney Matthew Bergman.

 

A key legal question is the federal law that largely shields platforms such as Instagram and TikTok from liability for content posted by users. The companies argue this law protects them in K.G.M.’s case. A verdict against them could undermine that defence, signalling that juries may hold platforms themselves accountable -- a ruling likely to reach the Supreme Court, Bergman said. “We are writing on a legal tabula rasa,” he told Reuters.

 

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, is expected to testify, with the company arguing that its products did not cause K.G.M.’s mental health challenges. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was also due to testify; however, Snap reached a settlement with K.G.M. on 20 January. YouTube has said its platforms differ fundamentally from social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok and should not be grouped together in court. TikTok declined to comment on its planned defence.

Ahead of the trial, the companies are working to convince critics their products are safe for teens. They have introduced parental control tools and spent millions promoting these features. Meta has hosted workshops on teen online safety, while TikTok sponsored regional PTAs with its “Create with Kindness” initiative. Google, YouTube’s parent company, has collaborated with Girl Scouts on digital safety lessons.

 

The tech giants have also retained high-profile legal counsel experienced in addiction-related litigation. Meta hired Covington & Burling, known for representing McKesson in opioid-related cases, while TikTok’s lawyers previously advised Activision Blizzard and Microsoft in video game addiction disputes.

 

“These companies are using every lever of influence that you can imagine,” said Julie Scelfo, founder of Mothers Against Media Addiction. “It can be very confusing for parents who to trust.”

 

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