Jury Deliberates in Social Media Addiction Trial

Closing arguments concluded Thursday in a landmark trial in Los Angeles, where Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) and Google-owned YouTube face allegations that their platforms addicted children and harmed mental health. After about a month of testimony from addiction experts, therapists, platform engineers, and executives—including Mark Zuckerberg—the case now rests with 12 jurors who will begin deliberations Friday morning.

The plaintiff, identified as KGM in documents or Kaley by her lawyers, claims that early use of social media addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. The trial is one of three bellwether cases selected to set a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies.

Mark Lanier, representing Kaley, argued in his closing statement that Meta and YouTube knew their platforms were potentially addictive, citing internal documents from both companies. He presented jurors with an image of gazelles surrounded by lions to illustrate how the companies targeted vulnerable users. "I think that's what we got in this case," he said.

Defendants countered that Kaley faced significant mental health challenges before using social media, arguing she turned to these platforms as a coping mechanism or escape. Meta’s attorney Paul Schmidt emphasized her troubled familial relationships and medical records, stating the evidence showed "just the opposite" of Lanier's claims. YouTube’s legal team argued it is not a social media platform and that its features are not addictive.

Jurors must decide if Meta and YouTube's negligence was a 'substantial factor' in causing Kaley’s harm, with only nine out of the 12 jurors needing to agree on each count. They will also determine the amount of damages she should be awarded if either or both platforms are found liable.

An attorney for the plaintiff used a cupcake metaphor during closing arguments, explaining that while social media might seem like just one ingredient in Kaley's struggles, it was an essential factor. "It comes down to highly technical legal standards," said Laura Marquez-Garrett. "They could find all kinds of terrible stuff, but then determine that technically speaking, the percentage of contribution wasn't met."

Kaley testified during the trial that YouTube and Instagram fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts beginning at age six. However, under cross-examination, she acknowledged longstanding family issues including neglect and abuse that contributed to her mental health challenges prior to her social media use.