Jury weighs Meta's role in a teen's Instagram struggle

Kaley, who spent up to 16 hours daily on Instagram, is at the center of a landmark Los Angeles suit accusing Meta and Google of harming a young user’s mental health by making social platforms addictive; the five‑week trial tests whether platforms can be held liable for addiction-like harms, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifying. TikTok and Snapchat settled separately. Meta argues Kaley’s mental-health issues stem from her home life, while plaintiffs contend social‑media addiction played a major role. A verdict could reshape thousands of similar lawsuits and influence regulatory and public pressure on tech firms.