Meta, YouTube Face Landmark Trial over Child Addiction

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and Google-owned YouTube have appeared in court this Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court as part of a landmark legal battle over alleged child addiction caused by their platforms.

The companies are being sued for intentionally fostering addictive behavior among children and causing harm through prolonged exposure to social media content. The trial marks one of several historic cases targeting the world’s largest social media firms for their role in endangering young users.

Initially, TikTok and Snapchat were also named in the lawsuit, but both companies reached undisclosed settlements prior to the trial.

Jurors were given a first glimpse into a potentially lengthy legal battle that is expected to feature sharply contrasting accounts from the plaintiffs and the remaining defendants.

Meta’s attorney, Paul Schmitt, argued that there is ongoing debate within the scientific community over whether social media use constitutes true addiction. Some experts contend that the term “addiction” may be misleading when describing high-frequency use of these platforms.

The case is being closely watched as it could set a precedent for how social media companies are held accountable for the mental health impacts of their platforms on children.