This week, a Los Angeles courtroom will begin the process to potentially change the tech industry forever. A jury will decide for the first time in a trial if big social media companies like Meta and Alphabet—Google‘s parent company—design their platforms to be addictive for kids, putting ad revenue ahead of the mental health of young users.
Jury to decide if social media algorithms deliberately addict children
This landmark trial focuses on the case of a young woman identified as KGM. She claims that early exposure to Instagram and YouTube led to a severe addiction that fueled depression and suicidal thoughts. Tech companies traditionally rely on Section 230 to protect them from liability for what users post. However, perhaps with that in mind, this lawsuit takes a different path.
Lawyers are not attacking the content itself. Instead, they are targeting the product design. They claim that businesses intentionally put in features similar to those in slot machines to get people to use their products more. The plaintiffs want to hold Big Tech responsible in a way that is similar to how they have fought against the tobacco industry in the past by calling the platforms defective and addictive.
Meta and Google’s stances
Meta and Google strongly deny these allegations. Meta said that teen mental health is a multifactorial issue impacted by school safety, academic pressure, and social and economic factors. They contend that blaming social media oversimplifies a complex crisis that clinicians and researchers are still studying.
The companies also bring to the table the safety tools and parental controls they have added over the years. Mark Zuckerberg and other executives will testify about how serious they are about keeping users safe. However, the plaintiffs say that these protections are secondary to a business model that needs to keep kids involved all the time to get revenue.
The Los Angeles trial is a bellwether case, meaning it will set the tone for hundreds of similar lawsuits across the U.S. However, the pressure is mounting globally. Other companies like TikTok and Snap have already settled similar claims for undisclosed amounts rather than facing a jury.
The world closely monitoring social media addiction in young people
Beyond the courtroom, governments are taking drastic legislative action. Australia recently implemented a ban for users under 16, resulting in the removal of millions of accounts. France has also approved a measure to ban social media for those under 15. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is debating similar restrictions to protect teenagers from excessive screen time.
This trial could change the rules for Silicon Valley in a big way. If a jury decides that these platforms are designed to be addictive, it could force companies to get rid of the algorithms that keep people scrolling. This could mean the end of the way social media companies make money now.
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