At the centre of the case is a 19-year-old woman from California, identified in court papers as K.G.M. She argues that she became hooked on the apps while still a child and that prolonged use damaged her mental health. 

She is asking the court to hold the companies liable for the effects of their product design, not just the content she consumed.

Beyond a single dispute, the trial emphasises whether a digital product can be treated like any other consumer good when it causes harm. That question will now be argued in open court, under oath, and in front of a jury.

Lawyers for the plaintiff say this is the first time technology firms must defend themselves at trial on claims that their platforms injured a young user.

Report Links Growing Mental Health Crisis among Children to Use of Technology

Matthew Bergman, the lead attorney, said: “They will be under a level of scrutiny that does not exist when you testify in front of Congress.”

The jury must decide whether the companies were negligent, and whether use of the platforms played a role in K.G.M.’s mental health challenges, as distinct from other factors in her life or the third-party material she viewed. Legal experts say the result could influence hundreds of similar cases awaiting resolution.

“This is really a test case,” said Clay Calvert, a media lawyer at the American Enterprise Institute. “We’re going to see what happens with these theories”.

Senior executives are expected to be called. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is due to testify, an uncommon sight for a technology founder in a civil courtroom. 

Snap’s chief executive Evan Spiegel had also been expected, but Snap agreed to settle the case against it earlier this month. The company has not disclosed the terms.

The remaining firms are preparing distinct defences. Meta has said its products did not cause the plaintiff’s difficulties and mental health challenges. YouTube plans to argue that its service is different in nature from platforms such as Instagram and TikTok and should not be treated the same way. TikTok has declined to outline its courtroom strategy.

Since 2022, thousands of lawsuits across the United States have accused social media companies of deliberately designing addictive features that harm children. 

In September 2025, a California court allowed expert witnesses to explain how tools such as endless scrolling, autoplay and algorithm-driven feeds affect young users’ mental health. That ruling cleared the path for this bellwether case.

At the same time, the companies are fighting a parallel issue for public trust. They have rolled out new parental controls, funded school workshops and partnered with youth groups to show they take safety seriously. Meta has sponsored “Screen Smart” sessions in schools. 

TikTok has backed parent programmes under the banner “Create with Kindness”. Google, YouTube’s parent company, has worked with the Girl Scouts on online safety badges.

Individuals say these initiatives muddy the waters. Julie Scelfo, founder of Mothers Against Media Addiction, said: “These companies are using every lever of influence that you can imagine. It can be very confusing for parents who to trust.”

The average Nigerian spends an additional 3 hours on the phone with their friends, family, or business associates. The combined total is about 18 hours per day spent in a digital world without real-life physical human contact.

There are many problems that come with being addicted to social media, and Nigerian society is no exception to this phenomenon, but I will be focusing on how this impacts Nigerian women specifically those who have a high rate of internet addiction, social anxiety, and body image issues.

Social media addiction is a prevalent problem in Nigeria. However, the effects of this problem vary from person to person. The only way to find the root cause of this social media addiction is by analyzing its different effects on people.

The first effect of social media addiction is on the user’s mental health. People with a social media addiction are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than those who do not use it as much or at all.

A study by Oxford University found that symptoms of depression were three times more likely in people who spend over two hours per day on social media, compared to those who spend 10 minutes or less per day on it.

The second effect of being addicted to social them is a lack of self-control, which can lead to other issues such as impulsiveness, irritability, and feeling restless.

The user’s cognitive abilities are also affected by their constant engagement with the internet and they may find themselves unable to concentrate at school or work because they are

Nigerian millennials are addicted to social media, and this addiction is also a serious problem in Nigeria. With the increasing number of young Nigerians who are hooked to their phones, social media is becoming more intrusive in our lives. It seems like it has become the new TV show that we all enjoy.

We spend as many hours on Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter conversations as we used to spend on TV shows like Game of Thrones or Friends.

Social media has created a culture of instant gratification in some Nigerian millennials because of its emphasis on instant replies, likes, and comments. That’s why people would rather read their Instagram feed than actually go out and experience life.

Breaking Social Media Addiction

According to Dr. Logan Jones, psychologist and founder of NYC Therapy + Wellness, breaking the addiction depends.

While Jones acknowledges that occasionally taking a vacation from social media might be beneficial, there is much more to be said about the reasons behind your sabbatical.

“On a deeper level, these social media companies know exactly what they are doing [from] a neurological perspective.”

What they’re doing is known as intermittent reinforcement, and it’s similar to what casinos do with slot machines. And it’s the same with swiping on Tinder or checking your Instagram. “The addiction is the reward pathway, it’s a dopamine hit,” Jones said.

Jones advises modifying your habits gradually rather than completely giving up social media. “The problem, in my opinion, is when people start out too big.

“Wherever there is the least resistance, start there,” Jones remarked. Turning off notifications, disabling vibrate, and using a function on your phone that tracks how much time you spend on social applications are a few examples of simple measures you may take to help break your addiction.