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Trials & Litigation
Plaintiff testifies about addiction in trial against social media companies
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives Feb. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles for a landmark trial over whether social media platforms deliberately addict and harm children. (Photo by Ryan Sun/The Associated Press)
The lead plaintiff in a high-profile trial against social media companies told jurors in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday that her addiction to Instagram and YouTube led to her depression and body-image issues.
The testimony of the sole plaintiff, referred to as “K.G.M.,” comes in the first-ever trial against Meta Platforms Inc.—which operates Instagram, and YouTube—owned by Google. K.G.M., now age 20, testified remotely, according to a story by the Recorder.
K.G.M. testified that her addiction to social media resulted in her giving up her hobbies and interests and prevented her from making friends.
“It really affected how I saw myself,” she testified, according to the Recorder. “It made me depressed.”
When her lawyer, W. Mark Lanier of the Lanier Law Firm in Houston, asked why she continued to stay on social media, K.G.M. said “it’s too hard to be without it.”
The trial is part of a consolidated proceeding in California state courts. Two other defendants, TikTok—owned by ByteDance, and Snap Inc.—which operates Snapchat, settled prior to trial, according to the Recorder.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri and Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, have testified in the trial, according to the story.
See also:
On witness stand, YouTube VP says his kids watch 5 to 6 hours daily on platforms
Jurors will remain anonymous in first social media addiction trial
Google and Meta social media mental health trial set to start as jury selected
Parents say teens are addicted to social media. Now, a jury will decide
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