Woman suing Meta, YouTube over social media addiction expected to take stand at trial

Feb 26 (Reuters) – A California woman is expected to testify in court on Thursday about how using Meta Platforms’ Instagram and “Google’s YouTube” during her childhood damaged her mental health, as her landmark trial continues in Los Angeles.

The plaintiff, known in court as Kaley GM, started using Instagram at age 9 and YouTube at age 6, saying the platforms contributed to depression and body dysmorphia. Their lawyers say the companies are trying to make a profit by attracting young children to their services, even though they know social media can harm their mental health.

Kaley GM’s statement comes a day after her former psychotherapist said her teenage social media use was a “contributing factor” to her mental health problems.

The case is part of a wider global backlash against social media companies over allegations they harm children and teenagers. Australia has banned under-16s from such platforms, and other countries are considering similar restrictions.

YouTube and Meta denied the allegations and said the evidence in the case did not support the woman’s allegations.

Attorneys called on the therapist to lay the groundwork for the plaintiff’s next phase of the trial, exploring whether and how Kaley’s involvement with social media as a child may have affected her health.

The beginning of the trial focused on what companies knew about how social media affects children and their business strategies regarding young users. ‌Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that the company was discussed but never launched products for children.

To win the case, Kaley’s lawyers must show that the way companies design or operate platforms is a significant factor in causing or worsening her mental health issues.

(Reporting by Courtney Rozen in Washington, Jody Godoy in New York and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles. Editing by Rod Nickel)