Social media bosses are facing a series of trials in the U.S. over allegations of fostering addiction and mental health issues in young people.
The Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC) is representing hundreds of families and school districts in accusing Meta and YouTube.
Snap and TikTok settled with theplaintiffs in the first trial, but other lawsuits including them are still pending.
Here’s what you need to know.
Trial
SMVLC is currently confirmed to represent around 1,200 plaintiffs across at least 22 trials.
The first trial centres on a 19-year-old woman, known by the initials KGM, who alleges she developed a social media addiction and other mental health issues from her use of major platforms.
One of the claims KGM makes is that Meta’s features, such as the “infinite scroll,” led her to engage with “content that proved harmful”. KGM’s lawyers argue warnings shown outside of the terms and conditions could avoid or lessen harm.
SMVLC alleges social media companies “intentionally designed their platforms to be addictive to children and teens”.
It argues their algorithms “promote compulsive use” with “never-ending feeds” and notifications.
Earlier this month, Meta shared a blog post responding to the lawsuits, saying the claims “don’t reflect reality.”
“The evidence will show a company deeply and responsibly... taking action,” the post said.
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Settlements
Last week, the BBC reported Snapchat’s parent company Snapsettled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.
A Snap spokesperson told the publication they were “pleased to have been able to resolve this matter in an amicable manner”.
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday (local time) that TikTok followed suit, also settling its case.
The details of the settlements were not disclosed. Legal settlements typically do not involve an admission of fault or guilt.
What’s next?
The first trial is set to run for up to eight weeks.
U.S. media reports jury selection has begun.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri are expected to give evidence and face cross-examination.
It is a ‘bellwether’ or ‘test’ case, meaning the outcome is likely to impact future trials.
