California's first state trial in a wave of landmark lawsuits against major social media platforms is set to begin, with the goal of determining whether companies like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap are responsible for harming children. Over 1,600 plaintiffs, including over 350 families and 250 school districts, claim that the owners knowingly designed addictive products that harmed young users' mental health.
The first case will focus on a 20-year-old woman who alleges she was a minor when she experienced incidents outlined in her lawsuit. Her attorney believes this case will serve as a "bellwether" for hundreds of similar cases still pending in state court. Mark Lanier, lead trial lawyer for the plaintiff, is open to settlements with Meta and Google but hopes the trial will produce transparency and accountability.
Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok's CEO, will testify in February, according to his legal team, as well as Instagram's head Adam Mosseri. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel had been expected to testify but dropped out after a settlement was reached with the plaintiff, K.G.M., whose terms were not disclosed.
If the jury rules in favor of the first plaintiff, the companies could face damages determined by the jury and be forced to change the design of their platforms. The verdict will also set the tone for whether tech giants choose to fight or settle oncoming cases.
The Tech Oversight Project published a report featuring unsealed court documents pointing to efforts by Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok to make their platforms more appealing to young people. Executives from these companies have repeatedly stated that their priority is not profits but rather supporting young users' well-being.
However, experts say the case highlights a significant shift in accountability for tech giants, which have long been shielded by Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934. Matt Bergman, founding director of the Social Media Victims Law Center, stated that "companies are going to be held accountable for the clear and present danger their platforms have inflicted on young people."
The first case will focus on a 20-year-old woman who alleges she was a minor when she experienced incidents outlined in her lawsuit. Her attorney believes this case will serve as a "bellwether" for hundreds of similar cases still pending in state court. Mark Lanier, lead trial lawyer for the plaintiff, is open to settlements with Meta and Google but hopes the trial will produce transparency and accountability.
Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok's CEO, will testify in February, according to his legal team, as well as Instagram's head Adam Mosseri. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel had been expected to testify but dropped out after a settlement was reached with the plaintiff, K.G.M., whose terms were not disclosed.
If the jury rules in favor of the first plaintiff, the companies could face damages determined by the jury and be forced to change the design of their platforms. The verdict will also set the tone for whether tech giants choose to fight or settle oncoming cases.
The Tech Oversight Project published a report featuring unsealed court documents pointing to efforts by Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok to make their platforms more appealing to young people. Executives from these companies have repeatedly stated that their priority is not profits but rather supporting young users' well-being.
However, experts say the case highlights a significant shift in accountability for tech giants, which have long been shielded by Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934. Matt Bergman, founding director of the Social Media Victims Law Center, stated that "companies are going to be held accountable for the clear and present danger their platforms have inflicted on young people."
gotta think about this one... these big social media platforms, they're always saying they care about kids' well-being, but is it just a bunch of empty words? 
I mean, if they really cared, wouldn't they be making changes already instead of waiting for some lawsuit to come along and force them to? 
And what's with the CEO testimony? Is that just a way to save face or try to spin their image? 
. I mean, I knew social media companies were aware of how addictive their apps could be, but who would've thought they'd be sued by 1,600 people? 
. And if the jury rules in favor of this one girl, it could be a game-changer for all the other cases. Companies are already talking about settlements... I hope the goal is to make them change their design and not just pay off with some cash 
. It's about time someone held these tech giants accountable 
According to the latest stats, 1 in 5 teenagers experience online harassment, and I'm not surprised that parents are taking action. 
. If the jury rules in favor of the first plaintiff, it could force these companies to re-design their platforms with kids' well-being in mind. 
I'm so worried about these kids 
being exposed to all this mental health drama from social media. It's like, companies know they're making stuff that can hurt people's feelings and self-esteem, but do they really care? 
. It's crazy to think that we've been living like this for years without anyone pushing back 
. The fact that some of these companies are trying to settle out of court is a good start, but I want to see some real change 
. A jury verdict could really make a difference 
, and hopefully it sets the tone for more accountability from tech giants 
i feel so bad 4 them, but its awesome that theres someone fighting 4 them & trying to get some answers 
u hope the jury sees thru all the corporate speak & just wants what's best 4 those kids 
this is like totally game changing 
, I hope the jury sides with K.G.M. 
and gets those companies to make some serious changes 
this could be a huge wake up call for tech giants to prioritize our well-being over profits 
. But seriously, the numbers are wild - over 1,600 plaintiffs?! That's a lot of people who claim these platforms are screwing up young minds 
.
, but come on... kids' mental health is at stake here. The stats on screen time and anxiety are crazy - have you seen the charts from the Tech Oversight Project? They're eye-opening, to say the least 
. But hey, if this trial produces some real change... that'd be a major win for all us parents and concerned citizens 
.
. It's crazy how they can just design products to be super addictive and then act all innocent when kids get hurt 
.
. The fact that execs are saying profits aren't their top priority, but rather supporting young users' well-being, rings hollow to me 
.
i mean, come on companies, you knew it was a problem all along so why wait until some kid's life gets ruined 
? it's time for some real change 
? i hope this trial sets a precedent for the rest of these cases 
. The 1,600+ plaintiffs, including families and school districts, have bravely come forward to share their stories, shedding light on the dark side of these platforms 
.
and now its time for them to face the music i hope mark zuckerberg and adam mosseri get grilled during their testimony lol but seriously, this is a huge step towards making tech giants more responsible 