Trial Update: “Addiction” Became a “Dirty Word” at Meta

The first Social Media Addiction Lawsuit trial is currently underway in Los Angeles. The evidence presented in this trial may influence related lawsuits from other families. According to legal news outlet Law360, these are some of the key highlights from last week.

A former Meta executive and safety researcher told the jury that:

• Over time, the word “addiction” became a “dirty word” at Instagram, and employees could face “unwanted attention from leadership” if they researched it.
• Instagram’s leadership knew young users were experiencing harm, but features like infinite scroll and autoplay remained because they increased platform engagement.
• Most of the safety tools were “not effective” and were sometimes created more for public relations purposes than to protect young users.

The plaintiff testified about her negative experiences:

• She described feeling compelled to keep using social media apps: “I just felt like I wanted to be on it all the time.”
• She told the jury that she would “obsessively” check notifications from social media apps.

The plaintiff finished presenting her case last week. Now, the social media companies Meta and YouTube will present their defense.

We expect that the case will be submitted to the jury for deliberations soon, and we will continue to share updates as the trial progresses.

What Parents Can Do Now

If your child has faced mental health challenges you believe may be linked to social media use, you are not alone. Many families are asking the same questions and exploring their legal options.

Our experienced social media addiction lawyers can help you understand your rights. Visit our lawsuit page to learn more and contact our legal team for a confidential consultation.

About the Social Media Addiction Lawyers

Our lawyers are leading the fight for families whose children were harmed by TikTok. We represent more than 300 families whose children were harmed by social media. Our trauma-informed lawyers help parents protect their children and navigate the legal process.

Earlier in the case, TikTok and other social media platforms argued they were immune from certain legal claims and tried to have the lawsuits dismissed. Our firm successfully opposed those efforts, and both federal and state judges agreed, allowing the cases to move forward. These legal victories were featured in BBC, Bloomberg Law, Reuters, The Verge, and more.