What is the landmark social media addiction trial about?

The trial involves accusations that Meta and Alphabet knowingly designed addictive applications detrimental to the mental health of young users, with parallels drawn to the tobacco industry.

What is the significance of the social media addiction trial?

This bellwether proceeding's outcome could set a precedent and influence a large number of similar litigation cases expected across the United States.

Home / Technology / Zuckerberg Under Fire: Landmark Addiction Trial Starts

Zuckerberg Under Fire: Landmark Addiction Trial Starts

Q: Who are the defendants in the social media addiction trial?

The defendants in the trial are Meta, the parent company of Instagram, and Alphabet, the parent company of YouTube.

7 Feb

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Summary

A landmark social media addiction trial with jury selection has begun in California.
Meta and Alphabet face accusations of designing addictive apps detrimental to youth.
The trial's outcome could influence numerous similar lawsuits across the U.S.

Zuckerberg Under Fire: Landmark Addiction Trial Starts

Jury selection has concluded for a significant social media addiction trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, California. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, and Alphabet, which owns YouTube, are defendants in this bellwether case. Plaintiffs allege that these tech giants knowingly designed addictive applications that have caused severe mental harm to young users, drawing parallels to strategies employed against the tobacco industry.

The trial centers on the experiences of a 20-year-old identified as K.G.M., who claims her childhood addiction to social media detrimentally impacted her mental health. Throughout the jury selection process, references to Meta's co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, were frequent, with potential jurors expressing strong opinions about his past actions and the company's practices.