A landmark case accusing some of the biggest social media platforms in the world of deliberately getting their users addicted kicked off Tuesday in Los Angeles – with Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube headed for trial as TikTok agreed at the last minute to settle with the plaintiff.
Jury selection begins this week in California Superior Court after a 19-year-old woman identified only as “KGM” accused the tech giants of designing their algorithms to hook users, harming their mental health.
The case is considered a test for how hundreds of similar suits that youths, school districts and state governments have filed against social media companies could unfold. Taking a page from a past generation’s slew of successful suits against big tobacco, plaintiffs say social media companies created addictive products that led to personal injury and other problems.
Three of the world’s biggest tech companies face a landmark trial in Los Angeles starting this week over claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children.
KGM said in her filing that she began using social media when she was 10 years old.
She claimed that her usage of the apps led her to develop severe mental health conditions including depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, self-harm behavior and body dysmorphia.
Hours before the trial was set to begin, KGM and TikTok agreed on a settlement. She’d accused the company of deliberately installing its continuous-scroll feature as well as autoplay, push notification and algorithmic content-targeting to maximize engagement and foster addiction.
Snapchat parent company Snap Inc. was previously named in the suit. KGM agreed to a settlement with it last week. The sum of neither settlement was immediately known.
It’s the first time the companies will argue their case before a jury, and the outcome could have profound effects on their businesses and how they will handle children using their platforms. Natalia – stock.adobe.comThe Post has sought comment from Google, Snap and TikTok.
“We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the company previously added features like Teen Accounts “with built-in protections” based on feedback from parents and other stakeholders.
Studies estimate that 5% to 10% of social media users meet the criteria for behavioral addiction, with significantly higher rates among adolescents.
Importantly, the lawsuit claims that this was done through deliberate design choices made by companies that sought to make their platforms more addictive to children to boost profits. ChayTee – stock.adobe.comTeenagers now spend an average of 7 to 9 hours a day on screens, much of it on social media platforms designed for constant engagement.
Executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify at the trial, which will last six to eight weeks. APMultiple large-scale reviews have found consistent links between heavy social media use and worsening mental health.
Researchers have associated prolonged use with higher rates of depression, anxiety, psychological distress, sleep deprivation and academic decline, particularly among children and teens whose brains are still developing.
But a growing body of research has challenged the idea that social media use is inherently harmful to mental health.
Large reviews and meta-analyses have found that, for most users, overall effects are small, mixed, or statistically close to zero, with factors such as family relationships, socioeconomic conditions and offline stressors playing a far greater role in mental wellbeing.
A major meta-analysis published in 2026 that reviewed 46 studies concluded there is no reliable evidence that general social media use, by itself, causes mental health problems.
imilarly, an Oxford-led analysis of global internet data found no consistent link between time spent online and worse mental health outcomes across countries and age groups, with associations often weak or non-significant.
Tom Kersting, a psychotherapist who wrote “Disconnected: How to Protect Your Kids From the Harmful Effects of Device Dependency,” said he believes KGM’s lawsuit has merit and that social media platforms are addictive by design.
A fourth company named in the lawsuit, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum. SWNS“I’ve worked with thousands of kids, and anxiety, depression and suicide have been up big time since around 2012, when smartphones became mainstream — and it continues to escalate,” he told The Post.
Kersting rejected some research that has downplayed the potential harm of social media on youths, remarking: “I hear research that reminds me of when OxyContin first came out and they said there’s no evidence to show that it’s remotely addictive at all.”
The case will be the first in a slew of cases beginning this year that seek to hold social media companies responsible for harming children’s mental well-being. Halfpoint – stock.adobe.comEchoing widespread criticism, he said social media platforms have features designed to keep people hooked.
“All of this content is designed to target the pleasure-seeking part of the brain that produces dopamine,” Kersting explained. “Dopamine is the feel-good chemical, and that part of the brain is associated with every addiction, whether it’s drugs, gambling — it’s the same thing.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
