Feb. 27, 2026
Plaintiff describes lasting harm in social media addiction trial
In the first bellwether social media addiction trial, a 20-year-old plaintiff testified Instagram and YouTube use harmed her mental health, while Meta and Google argued other childhood stressors contributed.
The plaintiff in the first bellwether social media addiction trial told Los Angeles County jurors Thursday that her compulsive use of Instagram and YouTube as a child harmed nearly every aspect of her life. She said the effects linger in adulthood, contributing to anxiety, body dysmorphia and difficulty engaging in real-world relationships.
The trial is the first test case in a coordinated proceeding of thousands of similar lawsuits before Superior Court Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl. The...
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