Meta and YouTube Found Liable in Social Media Addiction Trial
During her testimony, Kaley recounted using Instagram at age nine and YouTube at age six, encountering no age verification obstacles. She described how extensive social media use led to her disengaging from family and experiencing anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia by age ten. Kaley’s legal team argued that Meta and Google created “addiction machines” and failed in their duty to protect children, presenting evidence that the company’s growth strategy intentionally targeted young users due to their propensity for prolonged engagement. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, maintained the company’s policy against users under 13, but acknowledged a desire for faster progress in identifying underage users.
John Q. Hosedrinker