The plaintiff, referred to as Kaley or by the initials K.M.G., is suing Meta and YouTube, alleging the social media platforms had a negative impact on her mental health when she was a minor, similar to the risks for teens online that authorities have previously warned about.
The incident occurred when Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt was questioning expert psychology witness Dr. Kara Bagot. During the questioning, he read the plaintiff's last name aloud — information the court had ordered kept private because the events in the lawsuit occurred when she was a child.
The witness immediately noticed and mentioned that the identity had just been exposed. The judge promptly halted the proceedings briefly and ordered the statement stricken from the court record, while emphasizing that no one in the courtroom was to repeat or use that name.
Lawsuit Centers on Social Media Addiction Allegations
The plaintiff, now 20, testified in court that her social media use began when she was only 6 years old and gradually became a habit that occupied most of her life.
She stated that using social media and similar platforms had affected her childhood and relationships, and worsened her mental health crisis.
The plaintiff's lawyers argue that core features like auto-play videos and infinite scrolling feeds are designed to maximize usage time, even though companies were aware of mental health concerns among young users.
Meta Denies Allegations
Meta denies allegations that its platforms were designed to be addictive.
The trial in Los Angeles Superior Court has drawn significant attention, including an appearance by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify.
The lawsuit is considered one of the landmark cases regarding the responsibility of tech companies for the mental health of young users.
