"Did They Addict Kids' Brains?" Social Media Faces Liability Trial in the U.S.

According to Financial News, a so-called social media addiction liability trial has formally begun in the United States to determine whether platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube were designed to addict teenagers.
NBC News and Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that on the 9th (local time), a damages trial against Meta and YouTube opened at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in California.
The plaintiff is a 20-year-old woman, Kaylee G.M, who claims she was addicted to social media for more than 10 years and as a result suffered anxiety, depression, and physical disabilities. Her legal team argues that social media use is not merely a matter of personal choice, but stems from structural problems intentionally built into the companies' designs.
Mark Lanier, the plaintiff's attorney, told the jury, "This case is about two of the wealthiest companies in history planting addiction in children's brains," adding, "Google and Meta designed their platforms to keep users hooked and to drive them to come back again and again." He criticized the companies, saying, "The more users become addicted, the more profit they make, so this is not an accident but a deliberate design."
The plaintiff's side also contends that Meta and YouTube borrowed psychological techniques used by the tobacco industry and in slot machines to increase the time minors spend on their platforms. They argue that features such as notifications, recommendation algorithms, and infinite scroll structures have intensified the platforms' addictive nature.
Meta and YouTube completely deny the allegations. They maintain that their platforms are intended to provide beneficial experiences for users, and that any issue of addiction is a matter of individual and family responsibility.
In connection with the case, Mark Zuckerberg, founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Meta, is expected to take the stand next week. Instagram head Adam Mosseri is also expected to appear in court as early as the 12th.
This lawsuit is seen as a bellwether trial that could shape the outcome of thousands of similar cases filed against Big Tech companies. Previously, Snapchat operator Snap and TikTok had been listed as defendants, but they recently reached confidential settlements with the plaintiffs and avoided going to trial.
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km@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-min Reporter