Plaintiff in landmark social media trial testifies that apps affected her 'self-worth'

"They made me give up a lot of hobbies and old interests, and they prevented me from making friends ... [and] caused me to compare myself to other people. I just felt like I wanted to be on it all the time. If I wasn't on it, I was going to miss out on something."

"K.G.M.'s trial is the first in a consolidated group of cases brought against Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Snap by more than 1,600 plaintiffs, including over 350 families and over 250 school districts. The plaintiffs accuse the tech companies of knowingly designing addictive products harmful to young users' mental health."

"K.G.M.'s bellwether case could set a legal precedent for whether social media platforms are liable for mental health issues in children. If the jury's verdict favors K.G.M., the companies could face damages to be determined by the jury and forced to change the designs of their platforms."

A landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles features a plaintiff identified as K.G.M., now 20 years old, who testified that her heavy use of Instagram and YouTube during childhood damaged her mental health and self-worth. She described how the apps caused her to abandon hobbies, prevented friendships, and created constant comparison with others. The case represents the first trial in a consolidated group of over 1,600 plaintiffs, including families and school districts, suing Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap for knowingly designing addictive products harmful to young users. The verdict could establish legal precedent for platform liability and influence settlement decisions in similar pending cases.

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