JAKARTA - For the first time, social media giants TikTok, YouTube, and Meta will defend themselves before a jury over allegations that their platforms are damaging the mental health of children and adolescents. The trial begins this week in Los Angeles, marking a milestone for similar cases that have been awaiting legal resolution.
The case was filed by a 19-year-old teenager, known as KGM, along with his mother, Karen Glenn, suing TikTok, Meta, and YouTube for allegedly intentionally creating an addictive feature that negatively impacted KGM's mental health, including triggering thoughts of self-harm and suicide. Snap, another defendant, settled its case last week on undisclosed terms.
"For parents whose children are exploited, groomed or die because of big tech platforms, the next six weeks are the first step towards accountability after years of being ignored by these companies. This is the tobacco trial of our generation, and for the first time, families across the country will hear directly from big tech CEOs about how they deliberately design their products to make children addicted," said Sarah Gardner, CEO of the nonprofit Heat Initiative which advocates for children's online safety.
In the lawsuit, the Attorney General accused social media platforms of being deliberately designed to make young users addicted, even though the company knew the risks. Court documents say the Attorney General started using social media at the age of 10 even though his mother tried to block access with third-party devices. The lawsuit states:
"The defendants designed their products in such a way that children can circumvent parental consent."
The "addictive design" feature on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat as well as notifications that constantly make KGM use the platform compulsively, which has an impact on his mental health. Instagram and TikTok are also accused of targeting KGM with "depressive" content and social comparisons that are detrimental to his body image.
In addition, KGM experienced bullying and "sextortion" on Instagram, which is a scam involving threats to share personal photos if the victim does not meet the demands of the perpetrator. The lawsuit states:
"The defendants' deliberate product design, marketing, distribution, programming, and operational decisions have caused K.G.M. and her family serious emotional and mental harm, including harmful dependence on their products, anxiety, depression, self-harm, and body dysmorphia," the lawsuit said.
The KGM case is one of about 1,500 similar personal injury cases consolidated in a multi-district litigation targeting TikTok, YouTube, Meta, and Snap.
Company response Meta stated on a special website related to the lawsuit: "We have listened to parents, researched the most important issues, and made real changes to protect teenagers online. Although selectively quoted may be used to describe the company misleadingly, we are proud of the progress we have made, we still prioritize the safety of teenagers, and will continue to improve our platform."
Meta has been rolling out "teen accounts" since 2024, providing default privacy protections, content limits, and parental monitoring tools. YouTube also emphasizes teen safety measures, including restrictions on sensitive content, identifying underage users with AI, and parental controls to limit short videos.
TikTok has not commented, but has previously launched default privacy settings, disabled late-night notifications, and a "guided meditation" feature to help teens reduce scrolling time.
Despite these efforts, many parents and advocates believe social media companies still fail to protect young users. This trial gives the jury the opportunity to assess whether these platforms really harm children's mental health.
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