YouTube Lawyer Sees No Addiction From Half Hour of Videos

Landmark trial over social media addiction features 20-year-old plaintiff's low YouTube usage

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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In a landmark trial over social media addiction, a lawyer for Google argued that the 20-year-old plaintiff, Kaley, only used YouTube for an average of 29 minutes per day over the last five years, and neither she, her father, nor her mental health therapist considered her to be addicted. The trial is a critical test for thousands of similar lawsuits targeting major social media companies.

Why it matters

This case could set a precedent for how courts view claims of social media addiction, with the outcome potentially impacting thousands of similar lawsuits against tech giants like Google, Meta, TikTok, and Snap. The trial will examine the companies' design choices and the impact on young users' mental health.

The details

Kaley's lawyer, Mark Lanier, accused the platforms of "building machines designed to addict the brains of children" by using features like "infinite scroll" and "autoplay" to keep them constantly engaged. However, Google's lawyer, Luis Li, argued that Kaley's average YouTube usage was just 29 minutes per day, with only 1 minute and 14 seconds spent on YouTube Shorts. Li said Kaley's behavior does not indicate an addiction, and that users can disable features like autoplay if they don't like them.

  • Kaley's average YouTube viewing over the last five years was 29 minutes per day.
  • Kaley's average daily time spent watching YouTube Shorts was 1 minute and 14 seconds.

The players

Kaley

A 20-year-old woman at the center of the landmark trial over social media addiction, who is suing Google, Meta, TikTok, and Snap.

Luis Li

A lawyer for Google who argued that Kaley's YouTube usage does not indicate an addiction.

Mark Lanier

Kaley's lawyer, who accused the social media platforms of "building machines designed to addict the brains of children."

Adam Mosseri

The head of Instagram, who is set to testify in the trial.

Mark Zuckerberg

The CEO of Meta, who is expected to testify later in the proceedings.

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What they’re saying

“She says she's not addicted, her dad said she's not addicted, her doctor says she's not addicted. Her medical records in 10,000 pages don't say she's addicted. Her behavior doesn't seem like she is addicted. So why are we here?”

— Luis Li, Lawyer for Google (Claims Journal)

“Imagine a slot machine that fits into your pocket. It doesn't require you to read or type, it only requires one physical motion. For a child like Kaley, this motion is the handle of a slot machine. Every time she swipes, she's gambling. Not for money, but for mental stimulation.”

— Mark Lanier, Kaley's Lawyer (Claims Journal)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over the impact of social media on young users' mental health, and the challenges courts face in determining whether platform design choices constitute addiction-inducing tactics. The outcome could shape future lawsuits and influence how tech companies approach features targeting minors.