Meta and Google Face Landmark Trial Over Harm to Children

A landmark civil trial against Meta and Google opened Monday in a Los Angeles court, with plaintiffs accusing the tech giants of deliberately designing social media platforms to addict children for profit.

In opening arguments, the plaintiff’s lawyer told jurors that Meta and Google-owned YouTube engineered products to exploit the developing brains of young users. “This case is about two of the richest corporations in history who engineered addiction in children’s brains,” the lawyer said, arguing the harm was intentional, not accidental.

The case centers on a 20-year-old woman who alleges she suffered severe mental harm after becoming addicted to social media as a child. According to the plaintiffs, platforms such as Instagram were built around endless feeds, algorithmic reinforcement and social validation loops that keep users engaged for as long as possible. YouTube, they argue, automatically queues videos based on user behavior, reducing a child’s ability to disengage.

The trial, overseen by a California judge, is being closely watched because it could establish a legal precedent on whether social media companies can be held civilly liable for harms to minors caused by platform design. Plaintiffs are drawing comparisons to earlier litigation against the tobacco industry, arguing that the business model prioritizes profit over health.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other senior executives are expected to testify in the coming days. YouTube’s leadership is also expected to be called to the stand.

Both companies deny the allegations, insisting they invest heavily in child safety and reject claims that their platforms are designed to harm young users. They argue they are protected under US law from liability over user behavior.

The case is seen as a bellwether for hundreds of similar lawsuits across the United States, potentially reshaping how courts view the responsibility of social media companies for the mental health of children.