Tech Titans on Trial for Social Media Addiction: Landmark Case Begins

Thu Jan 29 2026 20:09:45 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a historic trial starting in California, major tech companies face allegations about addictive algorithms harming users' mental health. The outcome could reshape accountability standards in the tech industry.

A landmark trial against major tech firms, including Meta, TikTok, and Google, kicks off in California as a young woman claims social media addiction stemming from algorithm design has adversely affected her mental health. This case challenges the traditional legal protections those companies have enjoyed and could establish a precedent for future accountability in the tech industry.

A landmark social media addiction trial in which top tech executives are expected to testify begins on Tuesday in California.

The plaintiff, a 19-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, alleges the design of the platforms' algorithms left her addicted to social media and negatively affected her mental health.

The defendants include Meta - which owns Instagram and Facebook - TikTok's owner ByteDance and YouTube parent Google. Snapchat settled with the plaintiff last week.

The closely-watched case at Los Angeles Superior Court is the first in a wave of such lawsuits, which could challenge a legal theory used by tech firms to shield themselves from culpability in the US.

'Dangerous and addictive algorithms'

The named social media companies have said the plaintiff's evidence falls short of proving they are responsible for alleged harms such as depression and eating disorders.

The case going to trial marks a distinct shift in how the US legal system treats tech firms, which face mounting claims that their products lead to addictive behaviours.

The companies have long argued that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, passed by Congress in 1996, exempts platforms from liability for what third parties post.

But at issue in this case are design choices about algorithms, notifications and other features that affect how people use their apps.

KGM's attorney, Matthew Bergman, told the BBC the case will be the first time a social media company has been held to account by a jury at trial.

Unfortunately, there are all too many kids in the United States, the UK, and around the world who are suffering as KGM does because of the dangerous and addictive algorithms that the social media platforms foist on unsuspecting kids, he said.

These companies are going to have to explain to a jury why their profits were more important than the lives of our young people.

Eric Goldman, a law professor at Santa Clara University, told the BBC that losing these cases in court could pose an existential threat to the social media companies.

'The tech industry has been given deferential treatment'

At trial, jurors are expected to see an array of evidence, including excerpts from internal company documents.

A lot of what these companies have been trying to shield from the public is likely going to be aired in court, said Mary Graw Leary, a law professor at Catholic University of America.

Meta previously said it introduced dozens of tools to support a safe environment for teens online, but some researchers have disputed the effectiveness of the recent measures.

The companies are expected to argue any asserted harms are caused by third-party users.

One highly-anticipated witness the jury will hear from is Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg, who is due to testify early in the trial.

The trial comes as the companies face growing scrutiny from families, school districts, and prosecutors worldwide, highlighting the pressing issue of social media's impact on youth mental health.