A trial has begun in the US to determine if social media causes addiction And if extra precautions need to be taken

This week, a Los Angeles court opened a case accusing social media of creating addiction. The defendants are Meta, YouTube, and TikTok (which was just acquired by an American company in order to remain in the country), accused, according to the charges, of having created a product harmful to users. Worsening the situation for the three companies is the court’s observation that company executives were aware of the effects produced by the platforms on users, but did nothing to limit them. At the trial, which could last several weeks, top executives from all three groups are expected to testify.

Parental controls are not enough

The main accusation against the three companies concerns the addiction they create among young people. Despite TikTok, Meta, and YouTube having introduced safety features to protect minors on their platforms, for some time parents, teachers, psychologists, and researchers have been denouncing the destructive effects that the use of these tools has on young minds. One of the features being called into question is precisely the ability to edit photos with filters and apps, which according to the prosecution could intensify problems such as body dysmorphia, stress, and depression.

Social media like gambling or cigarettes

Across all the apps involved, such as Instagram and TikTok, scrolling is endless, an infinite loop of content that keeps users glued to the screen. Recent studies have shown that scrolling produces in the brain the same effect as drugs or slot machines, with the activation movement mimicking that of gambling machines. However, the way the investigation will be handled will not refer to gambling addiction, but rather to that of nicotine.

Years ago, cigarette manufacturers had been accused of knowing the harmful effects of their products but doing nothing to inform consumers. Just as at the time tobacco companies were forced to modify their advertisements, add specific warnings, and compensate some customers who had sued them, the same fate could now befall Meta, TikTok, and YouTube.

The KGM case and doctors’ warning

The driving force behind this unprecedented case appears to be KGM, the initials of a nineteen-year-old who two years ago sued TikTok, Meta, Snap, and YouTube for creating features that cause addiction, damage mental health, and lead to self-harming and suicidal thoughts. For now, TikTok has agreed to settle the case with a confidential agreement one day before going to court, while Snap did so last week. This new accusation, recently opened in court, now remains.

Adding to the KGM case is also a recent opinion article published by the New York Times and written by surgeon general Vivek Murthy. In the article, published in 2024, Murthy urges platforms to add warnings informing users and parents that social media can seriously harm young people’s mental health.

Judging by the strong media reaction that both events have received, it is possible that the accused companies will not easily escape the issue. A settlement like those reached in the KGM case will not be enough, and perhaps not even just a warning on the platforms will suffice. To find out the fate of social media, it will be necessary to wait for the decision of the California court, before which Mark Zuckerberg and YouTube CEO Neeral Mohan may also have to testify.