A landmark trial accusing major social media companies of causing addiction and mental health harm in young users began this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, marking a major moment in the national debate over tech platforms and youth wellbeing, reported NBC Los Angeles.
The civil case, brought by a 19-year-old plaintiff identified only by her initials, K.G.M., alleges that Meta's Instagram, ByteDance's TikTok and Google's YouTube were intentionally designed to hook children and teenagers, according to ABC News. Plaintiffs claim the platforms use tactics such as infinite scrolling and autoplay to keep young users engaged for longer periods.
