Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta and Google’s YouTube are defending themselves in a Los Angeles courtroom against explosive allegations that they deliberately engineered their platforms to addict children, as opening statements began Monday in a closely watched trial that could have sweeping consequences for the tech industry.
The case, unfolding in Los Angeles County Superior Court, is one of the most significant legal challenges yet to confront Big Tech over youth mental health. Plaintiffs accuse Meta, the parent company of Instagram, and Google-owned YouTube of intentionally designing addictive features that harm minors. TikTok and Snap were originally named in the lawsuit but settled prior to trial for undisclosed sums.
Representing the plaintiffs, attorney Mark Lanier framed the case in stark terms, telling jurors it comes down to what he called “ABC — addicting the brains of children.” Lanier argued that two of the wealthiest corporations in history knowingly exploited psychological vulnerabilities in young users to drive engagement and advertising revenue.
To support his claims, Lanier presented internal emails, research studies, and company documents from Meta and Google. Among them were findings from Meta’s internal research project known as Project Myst, which surveyed teenagers and parents about social media use. According to Lanier, the study revealed that children experiencing trauma or stress were particularly vulnerable to compulsive use, and that parental controls had little effect in limiting harm.
Jurors also heard about internal Google documents allegedly comparing YouTube’s design to a casino, as well as Meta communications in which employees likened Instagram to a drug and themselves to pushers. Lanier argued these internal admissions contradict the companies’ public messaging about safety and responsibility.
At the center of the trial is a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as KGM, whose case is serving as a bellwether that could influence thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide. She briefly appeared in court during opening statements and is expected to testify later. Lanier described her as a creative and energetic child before she began using social media, noting she started on YouTube at age six and Instagram at age nine, uploading hundreds of videos before finishing elementary school.
The plaintiffs argue that these early exposures led to addiction, worsening depression, and suicidal ideation, all allegedly driven by intentional design choices modeled after tactics used by the tobacco and gambling industries. If successful, the case could pierce traditional legal shields such as Section 230 and First Amendment protections by focusing on product design rather than user-generated content.
Meta and YouTube strongly deny the allegations, insisting they have invested heavily in youth protections, parental tools, and safety features. The trial is expected to last up to eight weeks and could redefine how social media companies design products for young users — or whether they can be held liable at all.
