The world's largest social media companies have been accused of creating addiction machines as a landmark trial began in California examining the mental health effects of Instagram and YouTube.
In his opening argument before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl and a jury, Mark Lanier argued that his client, plaintiff K.G.M., suffered from mental health issues as a result of her social media addiction.
These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children, and they did it on purpose, Lanier said.
Lawyers for Meta and YouTube told the jury that K.G.M.'s addiction stemmed from other issues in her life, not their negligence.
K.G.M., who will be referred to by her initials due to her status as a minor, is at the center of the trial that is poised to reveal internal documents regarding the algorithms and features employed by these platforms.
Lanier alleged that Meta and YouTube failed to warn of the dangers posed by the design of their platforms, underscoring his remarks with a display of children's blocks bearing the words Addicting, Brains, and Children.
Moreover, he cited a 2015 email from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, indicating a demand for increased user engagement.
The opposing legal team insinuated that K.G.M.'s struggles were due to familial issues and not the platforms themselves, raising questions about the role of social media in the broader context of mental health challenges faced by youth.
This trial is expected to last for six weeks and may serve as a benchmark for future lawsuits against social media companies regarding their design practices and impacts on young users, with significant testimonies slated from experts and former employees in the field.
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