Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial Heads to Jury

Closing arguments wrap in case accusing Meta and YouTube of intentionally hooking young users

Mar. 13, 2026 at 1:11am

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Jury deliberations are set to begin Friday in a landmark social media addiction trial accusing Meta and YouTube of intentionally trying to hook young internet users. The verdict could turn on the question of whether family and other real-world troubles, or the tech companies' apps, were to blame for the mental health issues of the 20-year-old California woman who filed the suit. Both sides made their final arguments, with the plaintiff's attorney using a cupcake metaphor to argue that social media was an essential ingredient in the woman's struggles, while the defense attorneys said her troubles predated and were separate from her social media use.

Why it matters

This case is seen as a potential turning point in holding social media companies accountable for the mental health impacts of their platforms, especially on young users. The outcome could set a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits accusing tech firms of fueling an epidemic of depression, anxiety, and suicide among youth.

The details

The plaintiff, identified as Kaley G.M., testified that YouTube and Instagram fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts from the age of 6. However, under cross-examination, she also discussed feeling neglected and abused by family members, which apparently contributed to her mental health struggles separately from social media use. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and YouTube VP Cristos Goodrow both took the stand, with Zuckerberg acknowledging Meta's slow progress in identifying underage users, and Goodrow saying YouTube's goal is to provide value, not addiction.

  • Jury deliberations are set to begin on Friday, March 13, 2026.
  • Kaley G.M. said she started using YouTube and Instagram at age 6.

The players

Kaley G.M.

A 20-year-old California woman who filed the lawsuit accusing Meta and YouTube of intentionally trying to hook young users and contributing to her mental health struggles.

Mark Zuckerberg

The CEO of Meta, who testified at the trial and acknowledged the company's slow progress in identifying underage users on Instagram.

Cristos Goodrow

The VP of engineering at YouTube, who testified that the company's aim is to provide value, not hook users.

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What they’re saying

“It comes down to highly technical legal standards. They could find all kinds of terrible stuff, but then determine that technically speaking, the percentage of contribution wasn't met.”

— Laura Marquez-Garrett, Plaintiff's attorney (Breitbart)

“Kaley has faced profound challenges, and we continue to recognize all she has endured. The jury's only task, however, is to decide if those struggles would have existed without Instagram.”

— Paul Schmidt, Attorney for Meta (Breitbart)

“We don't want anybody to be addicted to anything.”

— Cristos Goodrow, VP of engineering, YouTube (Breitbart)

What’s next

The judge will announce the jury's verdict on the case.

The takeaway

This landmark trial could set a precedent for holding social media companies accountable for the mental health impacts of their platforms, especially on young users. The outcome will be closely watched as thousands of similar lawsuits work their way through the courts.