Instagram head to testify in landmark social media addiction trial
What's the story
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, is set to testify in a high-profile trial in Los Angeles today. The case seeks to prove that social media platforms are intentionally designed to be addictive, especially for young and vulnerable users. YouTube and Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, are among the defendants in this landmark case.
Defense argument
'YouTube not social media, video platform'
In the opening remarks, a lawyer representing YouTube argued that the platform is neither intentionally addictive nor a social media site. "It's not social media addiction when it's not social media and it's not addiction," said YouTube attorney Luis Li. The civil trial revolves around claims that a 20-year-old woman, Kaley G.M., suffered severe mental harm from her childhood addiction to social media.
Accusations
Plaintiffs accuse YouTube, Meta of engineering addiction
Plaintiffs' attorney Mark Lanier accused YouTube and Meta of engineering addiction in young people's brains for user growth and profit. "This case is about two of the richest corporations in history who have engineered addiction in children's brains," he said. However, Li countered these claims by drawing a clear distinction between YouTube's video app and social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok.
Content focus
YouTube's defense strategy sets it apart from other platforms
Li emphasized that it is the quality of content that keeps users coming back, not an intention to make them addicted. He cited internal company emails showing executives prioritizing educational and socially useful content over internet virality. This defense strategy sets YouTube apart from other platforms like Instagram or TikTok, which have been accused of fostering addiction through their algorithms and design.
Expert testimony
Social media seen as drug by Stanford professor
The first witness for the plaintiffs, Stanford University School of Medicine professor Anna Lembke, testified that she sees social media as a drug. She explained that the part of the brain which controls impulses isn't fully developed until after 25 years of age. This could explain why teenagers take risks and don't appreciate future consequences, Lembke said while describing Kaley's first use of YouTube at six.
Legal precedent
Trial could set precedent for similar lawsuits across US
The trial is being viewed as a bellwether, with its outcome likely to set the tone for similar lawsuits across the US. Social media companies are already facing hundreds of lawsuits accusing them of making young users addicted to content, leading to mental health issues. The strategies used by plaintiffs' lawyers in this case mirror those employed against tobacco companies in the 1990s and 2000s over knowingly selling harmful products.