A young California woman is set to testify in Los Angeles federal court in a closely watched case accusing Meta Platforms Inc and Alphabet Inc’s YouTube of contributing to her mental health struggles through allegedly addictive platform design.
The plaintiff, identified in court filings as Kaley G.M., is expected to take the stand after jurors heard testimony from her former psychotherapist, who treated her beginning in 2019 when she was 13. The case is widely viewed as a test of whether social media companies can be held legally responsible for the psychological impact of their products on minors.
Victoria Burke, a licensed psychotherapist who worked with Kaley, testified that she initially diagnosed her with generalized anxiety disorder. She later revised that assessment to include social phobia and body dysmorphic disorder. Burke said she did not determine whether social media use directly caused the teenager’s conditions but noted that Kaley frequently reported online bullying and struggles tied to peer judgment and body image.
According to the lawsuit, Kaley began using YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine. Her attorneys argue that the platforms’ design features — including autoplay videos, infinite scrolling and visible “like” counts — were intentionally structured to maximize engagement among young users, despite internal awareness of potential mental health risks.
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg testified earlier in the trial that the company had explored, but never launched, products specifically designed for children.
To prevail, the plaintiff’s legal team must demonstrate that the way the platforms were designed or operated was a substantial factor in causing or worsening her psychiatric conditions. Defense lawyers contend that other factors played a significant role in her struggles. Court filings reference a history of family instability and alleged abuse, which Meta’s counsel cited in opening statements.
YouTube’s attorney argued that the plaintiff did not consistently use available safety tools designed to mitigate harm, such as comment controls and time management settings. Court records cited by the defense indicate that her average daily viewing time for YouTube Shorts was approximately one minute and fourteen seconds, and that her average time streaming YouTube videos over the past five years was about 29 minutes per day.
Burke testified that “social media addiction” is not currently recognized as a formal diagnosis in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the primary reference guide used by mental health professionals. She described the concept as still evolving within the field.
The trial forms part of a broader global reckoning over the effects of social media on children and teenagers. Some governments have imposed age restrictions or proposed new safeguards, while courts increasingly confront lawsuits seeking to define the legal responsibilities of tech companies toward young users.