Landmark US Trial: Social Media Giants Accused of Addicting Children

• A landmark US trial in Los Angeles will investigate if social media companies deliberately designed platforms to addict children, setting a precedent for similar lawsuits.
• Defendants include Alphabet (YouTube), ByteDance (TikTok), and Meta (Instagram), with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expected to testify.
• Hundreds of lawsuits accuse social media firms of causing depression, eating disorders, and mental health issues in young users through addictive content.
• Plaintiffs' lawyers are using strategies similar to those against the tobacco industry, focusing on platform design rather than user-posted content.
• The trial centers on K.G.M., a 19-year-old woman who allegedly suffered severe mental harm due to social media addiction; Snapchat recently settled a similar case.

Why It Matters: A US trial will determine if social media platforms intentionally addict children, potentially setting a major legal precedent.