On Trial: Social Media Pushers

Did social media companies deliberately get kids addicted to screens? And if so, are they liable for the harm? That’s the question the Los Angeles County Superior Court began considering yesterday in the first major American jury trial of its kind.

• A 19-year-old identified as kgm claims that social media companies deliberately designed their platforms to addict young users.

“They don’t only build apps; they build traps.”
—Mark Lanier, plaintiff attorney

“Borrowing heavily from the behavioral and neurobiological techniques used by slot machines and exploited by the cigarette industry, defendants deliberately embedded in their products an array of design features aimed at maximizing youth engagement to drive advertising revenue,” the civil complaint alleges.

The makers of TikTok and Snapchat settled out of court, but the makers of Instagram and YouTube are on trial. Expected to testify is Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive officer of Meta, the parent company of Instagram.

The case will likely be the first of hundreds and will set a vital precedent in what these companies are liable for.

• The first trial of a case against social media brought by school districts is set to begin in Oakland, California, in June.
• In another case, 40 state attorneys general have sued Meta, alleging it has created a youth mental health crisis through its deliberate efforts to addict kids.

There’s no doubt social media is addictive and has proved harmful for kids and adults alike. Read our article “How to Crush Screen Addiction” for more on this attack and how to beat it.