Her lawyers say the two companies sought to profit by attracting young children to the point of addiction, despite knowing social media could harm their mental health. This case is part of a broader global backlash against social media companies over alleged harm to children and teenagers. A woman from California is set to testify in court on Wednesday about how her use of Instagram, owned by Meta Platforms, and YouTube, owned by Google, affected her mental and psychological health as a child, as a historic trial continues in Los Angeles. The plaintiff, known as C.J.M., began using Instagram at age nine and YouTube at six, saying the platforms contributed to her developing psychological and mental issues, including depression and a disorder causing a persistent sense of body dysmorphia. Australia has banned young users from using these platforms, and other countries are considering similar restrictions. The trial initially focused on what the companies knew about social media's impact on children and their strategies related to young users. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified, saying the company discussed products for children but never launched them. To win the case, her lawyers must prove that the way the companies designed or operated their platforms was a substantial factor in causing or worsening her psychological problems. Meta's lawyer in his opening statement said C.'s health records show she had been subjected to verbal and physical abuse and had a strained relationship with her parents, who divorced when she was three. The lawyer representing the plaintiff, however, pointed to an internal Meta study from recently that concluded teens living in difficult social and economic conditions say they are more habituated to using Instagram unconsciously and indiscriminately. Her lawyers added that features like auto-playing videos and infinite scroll are designed to keep users on the platforms for as long as possible despite evidence of harm to children's mental health. The "like" button also created a need for validation among teens, and photo filters and editors shaped their self-image. YouTube's lawyer said C. did not use features on the platform designed to protect users from grooming and abuse. Now the focus will turn to C.'s allegations about the impact these services had on her.
