California woman sues Meta, YouTube testifies that social media has a negative impact on mental health

A young Californian woman who is suing Meta Platforms for Instagram and Google for YouTube gave testimony on Thursday at a landmark trial that her childhood addiction to social media left her depressed, anxious and insecure about her appearance. She was unable, however, to give up her phone without feeling further anxiety.

Kaley G.M. was the plaintiff, who appeared in court as Kaley G.M.

She told jurors that her mental health had become so compromised, she began to harbor suicidal feelings and, at the age of 10, she started cutting herself to "cope with my depression," although she claimed she never took her life on impulse.

This case is part a wider global backlash against companies that operate social media sites over the alleged harms they cause to children and teenagers. Australia has banned children under 16 from using such platforms. Other countries are also considering similar restrictions.

Google and Meta deny the claims. Evidence in the case doesn't support the womans claim.

"TOO HARD TO BE ABOVE IT"

Kaley said that her mother would sometimes take away her phone for a period of time. This caused fits of rage, and increased anxiety. She also stated that she could never give up using social media as an adult.

She said, "I cannot, it is too difficult to live without it" when questioned by her lawyer at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in a case that tested whether Big Tech could be held responsible for the design and development of apps blamed for causing a mental crisis among youth.

When asked by her lawyer Mark Lanier, why she felt so desperate to get her phone back after?her mom seized it, she said: "Because I felt like a part of me was missing and I'd be missing something if I didn’t have it. And?it would put me in a panic."

Kaley says she has become dependent on social media to connect and validate herself, despite online bullying. She said that being away from social media "bothered" her more than the insulting comments she sees.

The lawsuit was first filed by Kaley's mother in 2012, before she turned 18. It alleged that Google and Meta were trying to make money by hooking children onto their services, despite the fact they knew social media could negatively impact their mental and behavioral health.

The plaintiff testified a day after Kaley's former psychotherapist who treated her for several months between the ages of 13 and 14 attested that excessive social media use was "a contributing factor" to Kaley's mental health issues. These were diagnosed as social anxiety and body dysmorphic disorder.

The trial began in January and also examined what companies knew about social media's impact on children, as well as their business strategies for younger users. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that the company had discussed products for children, but they never released them.

Kaley's attorneys must prove that the way the companies designed and operated the platforms played a significant role in her mental health problems.

Questions of Home Life

Meta's attorney said that Kaley's medical records reveal a "history of verbal abuse and physical abuse" and a "tense relationship" with her parents who divorced at the age of three. Kaley's mom is expected to testify after her daughter's testimony.

Kaley testified on Thursday that her mother was abusive at times and had hit her. However, she said that her mother was a loving, nurturing parent who lived with her and is still very close.

Kaley is a personal shopper for Walmart. She holds an associate's degree in communication and hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Her lawyer cited a Meta internal study that showed teens in difficult life circumstances were more likely to use Instagram unintentionally or habitually.

Her lawyers claim that features such as autoplaying videos and feeds that allow for an endless scrolling are designed to keep users on platforms despite the evidence that they harm younger users' mental wellbeing. The lawyer claimed that "Like" buttons were designed to satisfy teenagers' need for approval, while beauty filters distorted their self-image.

According to a court document, YouTube's attorney said Kaley did not use features of the platform designed to protect its users from bullying. These included tools to delete comments or limit how long videos could be watched.

(source: Reuters)