Kaylee G. M., a young American, began using Instagram and YouTube at the age of eight or nine, and soon her obsession consumed all her free time.
“I spent hours there every day, starting in the morning, after school, and until late at night,” she shared in court. According to her, because of these platforms, she abandoned her hobbies and faced issues such as anxiety, depression, and dissatisfaction with her body.
During the hearings, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended his company's policies, including the use of filters that alter users' appearances. He stated that the company strives to “find a balance between potentially harmful content and freedom of expression.” Instagram head Adam Mosseri also testified, claiming that he does not see social media addiction in the traditional sense of the word.
However, the jury sided with Kaylee, pointing to the harmful aspects of the platform's design that negatively affected her mental state, including mechanisms like the “infinite scroll” that keeps users engaged.
This case has become the first of many similar lawsuits in the U.S. to reach court proceedings and could set a precedent for future cases. Meta has already expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and intends to appeal it.
