"At the core of the case is a 19-year-old identified only by the initials "KGM," whose case could determine how thousands of other, similar lawsuits against social media companies will play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials - essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury and what damages, if any, may be awarded, said Clay Calvert, a nonresident senior fellow of technology policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute."
"KGM claims that her use of social media from an early age addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Importantly, the lawsuit claims that this was done through deliberate design choices made by companies that sought to make their platforms more addictive to children to boost profits. This argument, if successful, could sidestep the companies' First Amendment shield and Section 230, which protects tech companies from liability for material posted on their platforms."
Jury selection begins in Los Angeles County Superior Court for lawsuits alleging Meta's Instagram, ByteDance's TikTok and Google's YouTube deliberately designed features that addict and harm children. Selection will question about 75 potential jurors per day and is expected to take several days; Snap settled recently. A 19-year-old plaintiff identified as KGM and two others were chosen as bellwether trials to test arguments and possible damages. Plaintiffs contend early social media use caused addiction, worsened depression and suicidal thoughts through design choices aimed at boosting profits. If successful, the claims could bypass First Amendment and Section 230 protections.
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