California Woman Testifies in Groundbreaking Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

A 20-year-old California woman testified in a landmark trial against Meta and YouTube, claiming she was addicted to social media from childhood. The case could influence thousands of similar lawsuits against tech companies.

LOS ANGELES — In a groundbreaking courtroom battle against major tech companies, a 20-year-old woman shared her story Thursday about how social media consumed her childhood, testifying that she spent entire days scrolling through platforms.

The plaintiff, identified in legal papers as KGM and called Kaley by her legal team, claims her childhood exposure to social media created an addiction that worsened her depression and led to thoughts of suicide. Meta and YouTube remain as defendants after TikTok and Snap reached settlements.

This trial serves as a bellwether case, with its results potentially influencing the resolution of thousands of comparable lawsuits filed against social media corporations.

Kaley’s digital journey began early — she started watching YouTube videos at 6 years old and joined Instagram by age 9.

Taking the witness stand in a pink floral dress and beige sweater, Kaley admitted feeling “very nervous” when her lawyer Mark Lanier asked about her state of mind Thursday morning.

Lanier presented family photographs and questioned Kaley about happy childhood memories from her quiet neighborhood street in Chico, California. She recalled elaborate birthday celebrations, amusement park visits, and her mother’s dedication to creating memorable experiences.

However, Kaley’s relationship with her mother experienced tension, primarily centered around phone usage disputes.

Legal teams on both sides have highlighted Kaley’s difficult home environment. Her lawyers contend she was targeted as a vulnerable young user, while Meta and Google’s YouTube legal representatives argue Kaley used their platforms to cope with existing mental health issues.

When questioned about allegations that her mother physically harmed, mistreated, or neglected her, Kaley responded that “she wasn’t perfect, but she was trying her best,” and stated she wouldn’t characterize her mother’s past behavior as abusive or neglectful today. Kaley, who currently works as a personal shopper at Walmart, continues living with her mother in their family home.

During her youth, Kaley created numerous accounts across Instagram and YouTube to like and comment on her own content. She also used services to “purchase” likes by engaging with others’ posts in exchange for reciprocal engagement. “It made me look popular,” she explained.

The lawsuit focuses on features allegedly engineered to create addiction, particularly notifications. Kaley described these Instagram and YouTube alerts as providing a “rush.” She received constant notifications throughout school days and would sneak bathroom breaks to check them — a habit she maintains today.

While Kaley uses YouTube less frequently now, she believes she was previously dependent on it. “Anytime I tried to set limits for myself, it wouldn’t work and I just couldn’t get off,” she testified.

Instagram filters, especially those altering facial features, have become central to the case and were constantly used by Kaley. Lanier’s team displayed a nearly 35-foot banner featuring Kaley’s Instagram photos. She confirmed that “almost all” included filters.

The jury viewed Instagram posts and YouTube content Kaley created as a child and teenager. One video following a popular nighttime routine trend showed young Kaley scrolling her phone, showering, removing makeup, then returning to Instagram browsing. Another clip captured her expressing “crying tears of joy” after reaching 100 YouTube subscribers — before quickly apologizing for her “ugly appearance.”

“I look so fat in this shirt,” young Kaley said in the footage.

Meta maintains that Kaley faced substantial difficulties before ever accessing social media. Company attorney Paul Schmidt stated earlier this month that the central issue is whether these platforms significantly contributed to Kaley’s mental health problems. During opening statements, he extensively reviewed the plaintiff’s medical records, emphasizing various childhood hardships including emotional mistreatment, body image concerns, and peer harassment.

Kaley testified she never experienced negative feelings related to her body dysmorphia diagnosis until she began using social media and filters.

Regarding her heaviest Instagram usage, which reached over 16 hours in a single day, Kaley explained: “I just felt like I wanted to be on it all the time, and if I wasn’t on it, I felt like I was going to miss out on something.”

Her attempts to quit the platforms typically failed.

“Every single day, I was on it all day long,” she stated.

Victoria Burke, a former therapist who worked with Kaley in 2019, testified Wednesday that Kaley’s social media use and self-perception “were closely related,” noting that platform activities could “make or break her mood.”

A Meta attorney spent approximately three hours cross-examining Burke, reviewing her session notes extensively. He emphasized Kaley’s face-to-face bullying experiences, academic stressors, and family problems. Social media references in the notes primarily involved Kaley feeling displaced at home and school but finding acceptance and visibility on social platforms.

Burke’s treatment of Kaley lasted roughly six months and occurred seven years ago.

This case has attracted significant attention from child safety advocacy organizations and technology industry observers, featuring high-profile testimony from Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

During Zuckerberg’s testimony, when asked whether people typically use addictive products more frequently, he replied “I’m not sure what to say to that.”

“I don’t think that applies here,” he added. He expressed belief in the “basic assumption” that “if something is valuable, people will use it more because it’s useful to them.” Mosseri also stated his disbelief that people can develop clinical addictions to social media platforms.

The trial is expected to continue for several more weeks, with the jury’s decision potentially shaping numerous similar lawsuits against social media companies. Meta also faces a separate trial in New Mexico.