Main points
- A lawsuit has begun against Meta and Google, where the plaintiff claims that the design of Instagram and YouTube contributed to the formation of addiction and affected her mental state.
- The lawsuit could have significant implications for all social networks.
Instagram and YouTube found themselves at the center of a lawsuit over mental health harm / Collage 24 Channel/Freepik
A potentially game-changing lawsuit has begun in Los Angeles for the social media giants. A young American woman is trying to prove that the design of the popular platforms contributed to her addiction and seriously affected her mental health. The decision in the case could have far-reaching consequences not only for the tech giants but for the entire social media industry.
Can social media be held accountable?
The lawsuit was filed by a 20-year-old woman, known in court documents as KGM. She claims she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a teenager. According to her, the algorithms and design elements designed to maximize attention span gradually worsened depression and led to suicidal thoughts, Reuters writes.
The defendants in the case are Meta Platforms, which owns Instagram, and Google, which is part of Alphabet and controls YouTube. The plaintiff's lawyers are trying to prove that the companies were negligent in developing the products, failed to warn users of potential risks and were a substantial factor in the harm caused.
What will be the protection?
Lawyers for Meta and YouTube, in turn, said they would argue that the plaintiff's difficult family life, not social media, was the cause of her mental health problems, CNN writes.
Companies are also emphasizing youth safety programs and trying to distance themselves from harmful content that users upload themselves.
The consequences can be significant.
The case is being closely watched across the industry. If a jury rules in favor of KGM, it could undermine long-standing legal protections for internet companies in the U.S. that typically shield them from liability for user-generated content, making it much easier for similar lawsuits to be brought at the state level.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is also expected to testify in court, NBC reports. The trial is expected to last at least until March. Meanwhile, TikTok and Snap have already settled KGM's claims out of court, avoiding a public hearing.
This trial is just part of a wider wave of legal cases:
- There are already more than two thousand similar lawsuits pending in US federal courts, filed by parents, school districts, and state attorneys general.
- At the same time, a separate high-profile trial has started in New Mexico, in which Meta is accused of facilitating the sexual exploitation of children.
Globally, pressure on social media is mounting. Some countries, including Australia and Spain, have already restricted access to social media platforms for users under the age of sixteen, while others are preparing similar steps. The California court ruling could set a key precedent in this international debate.