Landmark Trial Accuses Social Media Giants of Addicting Children

Plaintiffs argue Meta and YouTube engineered features to addict young users, while defendants deny social media is the primary cause of mental health issues

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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In a landmark trial in Los Angeles, lawyer Mark Lanier delivered opening statements accusing Meta (Instagram's parent company) and Google's YouTube of deliberately designing their platforms to addict children. Lanier presented internal documents and studies allegedly showing the companies knew their products were harming young users' mental health. However, Meta and YouTube's lawyers argued the evidence does not clearly show their platforms were the primary factor in the plaintiff's struggles, which they say stemmed from other difficult life circumstances.

Why it matters

This trial could set a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies, potentially leading to major changes in how they design and market products to children and teens. The outcome could have profound effects on the tech giants' business models and how they handle minors on their platforms.

The details

The case centers around a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as 'KGM,' whose experience will serve as a bellwether for other lawsuits. Lanier said KGM started using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at 9, and had posted 284 videos on YouTube before finishing elementary school. He argued the companies 'engineered addiction' through features like 'like' buttons that cater to teens' need for social validation. However, Meta's lawyer Paul Schmidt said the evidence shows KGM's mental health struggles stemmed more from interpersonal conflicts and a troubled home life, rather than social media addiction.

  • The trial began with opening statements on February 10, 2026.
  • Executives from Meta and YouTube, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify over the next 6-8 weeks.

The players

Mark Lanier

The plaintiff's lawyer who delivered the opening statement accusing Meta and YouTube of deliberately designing addictive features for children.

Paul Schmidt

The lawyer representing Meta, who argued the evidence does not clearly show social media was the primary factor in the plaintiff's mental health struggles.

KGM

The 20-year-old plaintiff whose case will serve as a bellwether for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies.

Meta

The parent company of Instagram, which is one of the two remaining defendants in the landmark trial.

YouTube

The Google-owned video platform that is the other remaining defendant in the trial.

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What they’re saying

“For a teenager, social validation is survival. The defendants engineered a feature that caters to a minor's craving for social validation.”

— Mark Lanier, Plaintiff's Lawyer (Boston Herald)

“The core question in the case is whether the platforms were a substantial factor in KGM's mental health struggles.”

— Paul Schmidt, Meta's Lawyer (Boston Herald)

What’s next

Executives from Meta and YouTube, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify over the next 6-8 weeks as the trial continues.

The takeaway

This landmark trial could set a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies, potentially forcing major changes in how they design and market products to children and teens. The outcome could have profound effects on the tech giants' business models and how they handle minors on their platforms.