Los Angeles, CA – A 20-year-old California woman testified Thursday in a landmark trial alleging that Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube knowingly designed addictive platforms that harmed her mental health, detailing a childhood consumed by social media and its devastating consequences.
Kaley GM, identified in court by her initials, told jurors her addiction began at age six with YouTube and escalated at age nine with Instagram, leading to anxiety, depression, body image issues, and self-harm. “I was at a young age and I would spend all my time on it,” Kaley testified, explaining her inability to control her usage. “Anytime I tried to separate myself from it, it just didn’t work.”
The trial, taking place in Los Angeles Superior Court before Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl, is considered a key test case that could determine the liability of social media companies for the mental health of young users. Similar lawsuits are pending in federal and state courts across the country, including cases brought by school districts, seeking to hold the companies accountable for a perceived epidemic of mental health issues among youth.
Kaley recounted attempts by her mother to limit her access to her phone, describing a nightly routine of retrieving the device after her mother went to bed. “I would be really upset,” she said, when denied access. Court records presented by her lawyer, Mark Lanier, indicated she spent as many as 16 hours a day on Instagram on some occasions.
She testified that therapy began around age 12, prompted by her inability to connect with her family due to “excessive worrying given that of social media.” She described a growing disconnect from her real-life relationships as her online presence consumed more of her time. The jury was shown a video of Kaley expressing dissatisfaction with her appearance, and a display of dozens of her Instagram photos, “almost all of them have a filter on,” she stated.
When asked if her life would have been better without social media, Kaley responded unequivocally: “Yes.”
In a surprising turn, Kaley expressed a desire to work in social media management, leveraging the skills she developed from a young age.
The trial follows opening arguments in February where Lanier accused Meta and YouTube of building “addiction machines” designed to exploit the brains of children. Lanier presented a 2015 email from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding a 12% increase in “time spent” on the platform to meet business goals. He also argued that YouTube intentionally targeted younger users to maximize advertising revenue.
Zuckerberg testified last week, defending his company’s practices and disputing claims that Meta failed to protect underage users.
The outcome of the Los Angeles trials is expected to set a legal precedent for resolving thousands of lawsuits alleging that social media platforms contribute to rising rates of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide among young people. The trial is expected to continue through late March.
