First US trial questions if social apps are addictive, targeting Meta and YouTube

A six-week Los Angeles trial—the first to challenge social-media harms—features a plaintiff accusing Meta and YouTube of designing addictive features (endless scrolling, autoplay, likes) that harmed a 20-year-old. Meta and YouTube deny wrongdoing, citing parental controls and other factors in the plaintiff’s life. If the jury finds negligence and causation, damages could be awarded and influence numerous bellwether cases against the platforms; the trial has included executive testimony and leaked internal documents that question platform wellbeing efforts, making this a potential turning point for online safety regulation.