February 27, New Delhi – A young woman from California testified on Thursday in a case where she has sued Meta Platforms' Instagram and Google's YouTube.
The high-profile trial alleges childhood social media addiction, which she claims left her anxious, depressed, and insecure about her appearance, yet unable to give up her cellphone without experiencing further distress.
The plaintiff stated that her obsessive use of YouTube starting at age six and Instagram at age nine disrupted her school performance, deprived her of sleep, stunted her in-person social life, and strained family relations.
The case is part of a broader global backlash against social media companies over alleged harms to children and teenagers. Australia has banned under-16s from such platforms, and other countries are considering similar restrictions.
Google and Meta have denied the allegations, stating that the evidence in the case does not support the woman's claims.