Is social media harming kids’ mental health? Meta, TikTok, YouTube to face court scrutiny
Meta, TikTok, and YouTube are accused of causing “social media addiction” among children. These companies will reportedly go on trial this year.
- Jan 27, 2026,
- Updated Jan 27, 2026 10:54 AM IST
Over the years, social media platforms have been accused of causing mental health crises among young users. As discussions surrounding the “national debate about kids’ screen time” intensify, Meta, TikTok, and YouTube are expected to face court scrutiny, according to a Reuters report.
The case will be treated as a test case in the California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, since it will influence thousands of similar lawsuits. The case is filed by a 19-year-old woman (Who is being called K.G.M) from California who claims that she became addicted to the above mentioned social platform due to its “attention-grabbing design.”
Hence, the trial will be centred around the allegation of “social media addiction” among children.
The Reuters reports also highlight that the court filings mentioned that the addiction contributed to her depression and suicidal thoughts. Now, the jury selection is reported to start on Tuesday as the case will soon go to trial this year.
Plaintiff's attorney Matthew Bergmanit said that it will be the first time social media giants like Meta and YouTube will go to court to defend their business models against allegations of mental health crisis among young users. As of now, it is expected that Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, will testify in court, highlighting the seriousness of the case.
The social media giant will reportedly argue in court that its platforms did not cause or contribute to K.G.M.’s mental health issues. On the other hand, YouTube is trying to distance itself from the other platforms, claiming that it works differently from apps like Instagram and TikTok. Therefore, YouTube may demand to be treated differently legally.
Whereas, TikTok has not commented on the trial, and its upcoming move to protect itself from the allegations. Hence, the company may defend itself based on its policies to protect young users from addiction or mental health concerns.
It should also be noted that Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was also involved in a similar lawsuit, but the company settled the lawsuit with K.G.M on January 20, 2026.
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Over the years, social media platforms have been accused of causing mental health crises among young users. As discussions surrounding the “national debate about kids’ screen time” intensify, Meta, TikTok, and YouTube are expected to face court scrutiny, according to a Reuters report.
The case will be treated as a test case in the California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, since it will influence thousands of similar lawsuits. The case is filed by a 19-year-old woman (Who is being called K.G.M) from California who claims that she became addicted to the above mentioned social platform due to its “attention-grabbing design.”
Hence, the trial will be centred around the allegation of “social media addiction” among children.
The Reuters reports also highlight that the court filings mentioned that the addiction contributed to her depression and suicidal thoughts. Now, the jury selection is reported to start on Tuesday as the case will soon go to trial this year.
Plaintiff's attorney Matthew Bergmanit said that it will be the first time social media giants like Meta and YouTube will go to court to defend their business models against allegations of mental health crisis among young users. As of now, it is expected that Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, will testify in court, highlighting the seriousness of the case.
The social media giant will reportedly argue in court that its platforms did not cause or contribute to K.G.M.’s mental health issues. On the other hand, YouTube is trying to distance itself from the other platforms, claiming that it works differently from apps like Instagram and TikTok. Therefore, YouTube may demand to be treated differently legally.
Whereas, TikTok has not commented on the trial, and its upcoming move to protect itself from the allegations. Hence, the company may defend itself based on its policies to protect young users from addiction or mental health concerns.
It should also be noted that Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was also involved in a similar lawsuit, but the company settled the lawsuit with K.G.M on January 20, 2026.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine