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   'This case is about two of the richest corporations who have engineered   
   addiction in children's brains' - lawsuit against Meta and YouTube could   
   decide the fate of social media   
      
   By Hamish Hector published 6 hours ago   
      
   One lawyer labeled social media platforms as "digital casinos"   
      
    A major lawsuit on social media addiction is playing out in Los Angeles   
    Lawyers for the plaintiff argue that social media is intentionally addictive   
   to children   
    Meta and YouTube argue their platforms are safe for younger users   
      
   Have social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube "engineered   
   addiction in children's brains"?   
      
   That's the question at the center of a social media addiction trial being   
   held in Los Angeles, pitting Meta and YouTube against a plaintiff accusing the   
   companies of intentionally creating damagingly addictive platforms.   
      
   It's not just central to this case either. The outcome of the trial could   
   guide the result of around 1,500 more similar lawsuits being levied at social   
   media giants (via CNN), and continue the growing trend of social media pushback   
   - especially when it comes to young people.   
      
   Likening swiping through social to the motion of pulling a "handle of a slot   
   machine" in the pursuit of mental stimulation, the lawyer for the plaintiff   
   - identified only as Kaley (and her initials KGM) - argues that YouTube and   
   Instagram are like "digital casinos" with features that create an addictive   
   cycle of dopamine hits.   
      
   In turn, the lawyer argues, this social media addiction caused Kaley to develop   
   anxiety, body dysmorphia, and suicidal thoughts.   
      
   The case specifically targets social media features - such as infinite scroll   
   feeds (which never end, no matter how far you scroll down) - rather than the   
   content of the platforms, which would be protected under US Section 230 of   
   Federal law.   
      
   Meta's lawyer in the case has instead suggested KGM's family dynamics are   
   to blame for her mental health troubles, with spokespersons for the company   
   saying that Meta "Strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident   
   the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young   
   people."   
      
   YouTube similarly refutes the allegations. A spokesperson has said that   
   "providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been   
   core to our work." YouTube's lawyer is expected to give the company's   
   opening legal statement on Tuesday, February 10.   
      
   Snapchat's parent company, Snap, and TikTok were originally named in the   
   lawsuit, too. However, they have both settled with KGM and are no longer   
   defendants in the case.   
      
   A guide for what's to come   
      
   This is just the start of what is set to be a six-week-long case - that with   
   appeals may stretch even longer - so it's impossible to predict what the   
   jury's verdict will decide, but it's yet another instance of pushback   
   against how social media platforms engage young people.   
      
   We've seen various proposed and passed bills limiting access to sites based   
   on tighter age restrictions in the UK, Australia, and recently, France.   
      
   In another California legal case, this time from state Attorneys General,   
   prosecutors are asking a Federal judge to force Meta to remove all accounts   
   known to belong to users under 13, to delete all data collected from Facebook   
   and Instagram users under 13, and to delete algorithms and other tools built   
   using said data.   
      
   Some of this group are also calling for Meta to impose new restrictions for   
   younger users, and to remove what they call " addictive" design features   
   like autoplay and infinite scroll - a feature highlighted in the KGM lawsuit   
   above.   
      
   At the same time, we've seen social media companies perhaps attempt to   
   preempt this backlash by launching renewed safety measures for young users.   
   Meta, in recent years, has rolled out dedicated features for teen accounts that   
   include special safety and content filtering options for people under 16.   
      
   More recently, Discord has announced global age verification checks will roll   
   out to all users in early March - requiring all users to submit an ID or   
   complete a facial age check before they can use the platform unrestricted.   
      
   Though with that last one, companies are also seeing there's a tightrope to   
   walk between appeasing lawmakers on the safety of their platform and not   
   creating user outrage - the latter of which Discord does appear to have   
   stoked.   
      
   We'll have to wait and see exactly what happens with the case above, the many   
   others in the works, and various government actions being taken on social   
   media, but it does seem major shifts are all but inevitable for how young   
   people will be able to engage with online platforms. With privacy fears and   
   usage frustration remaining for adults with many of the proposed solutions,   
   however, it's unclear if they'll end the online safety debate or merely   
   evolve it.   
      
      
   https://www.techradar.com/computing/social-media/this-case-is-about-two-of-the-   
   richest-corporations-who-have-engineered-addiction-in-childrens-brains-lawsuit-   
   against-meta-and-youtube-could-decide-the-fate-of-social-media   
      
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