Trial Begins in Landmark Case Accusing Meta, Google of Making Platforms Addictive to Children

Opening statements began on Feb. 9 in a landmark trial accusing two of the world’s largest social media companies of deliberately designing their platforms to be addictive, and seeking to hold them accountable for alleged harms to children using their technology.

Plaintiffs allege that Meta, Instagram’s parent company, and Google’s YouTube have intentionally designed their platforms to addict and harm minors. TikTok and Snap Inc.—which owns Snapchat—settled for undisclosed amounts after originally being named in the same lawsuit.