Overview
- Jury selection began this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court in a case brought by a 19‑year‑old identified as K.G.M. alleging social platforms worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts.
- TikTok reached a last‑minute settlement and Snap resolved earlier, leaving Meta and YouTube to continue defending the claims at trial.
- The lawsuit argues that design choices and recommendation systems function like slot‑machine mechanics to maximize youth engagement and advertising revenue.
- Meta and Google dispute the allegations, citing safeguards for young users and arguing the claims oversimplify complex mental‑health factors.
- The proceedings are expected to run six to eight weeks with potential testimony from senior executives, and the outcome could influence hundreds of related suits by families, school districts and state attorneys general.