BBC News

Instagram and YouTube owners built 'addiction machines', trial told

New York Post

Mark Zuckerberg to face alleged social media addict in court

Landmark trial accusing social media companies of addicting children to their platforms begins

Sky News

Instagram and YouTube 'engineer addiction' in young people, landmark trial hears

The New York Times

Social Media Addiction Trial.Html

Newsmax

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FOX 11 Los Angeles

Lawsuit challenges Meta, Google over claims they engineered addiction in children's brains

The Wall Street Journal

Social Media Isnt All Bad For Kids 75Cf870B

Substack

They Built Addiction on Purpose: How Social Media Learned to Hack Your Brain, Your Kids, and Your Vote

Anthony Albanese

9News Australia

Terry Flew

Australian Human Rights Commission

Aaron Mackey

Joanne Orlando

Melissa McIntosh

Damini Satija

Julie Inman Grant

Timothy Koskie

"They took the easy option, and it will fail."

“New accounts are being created and the age-verification tools that the government assured Australians would be effective, have proven laughably easy to bypass with some makeup and good lighting.”

“Tech-savvy teens simply use VPNs, fake birth photos for face scans, or migrate to less regulated platforms like Lemon8, or to platforms not part of the ban like video games. Enforcement is proving to be difficult in the days leading up to the ban.”

"Some verification methods are often inaccurate while others are easily circumvented.”

"Technological workarounds – such as VPNs and false age declarations – may undermine the effectiveness of the ban."

"This law will also push many users toward platforms that are more personal and private, like Telegram channels, WhatsApp Communities, and Signal Groups, which are not currently banned because they are important tools for encrypted and direct communication."

David Inserra

“Ultimately, reducing online harm would be a great outcome; however, we know from evidence that ‘banning’ anything from young people won’t work on its own.”

Louise La Sala

“There’s a fair amount of teething problems around it. Many young people have been posting on TikTok that they successfully evaded the age limitations and that’s to be expected.”

"I think it will help a lot of parents because it's not them saying no, it's an actual law."

Cassie Xintavelonis

“We don’t expect safety laws to eliminate every single breach. If we did, speed limits would have failed because people speed, drinking limits would have failed because, believe it or not, some kids do get access to alcohol.”

“The fact that teenagers occasionally find a way to have a drink doesn’t diminish the value of having a clear national standard.”

"Just as the banning of phones in school classrooms by many state governments hasn't on day one led to perfect compliance, now it's just accepted that there are improved educational outcomes, improved behaviour, improved social outcomes as a result."

"Australia's social media ban is already driving change, and is proof that the threat of regulation works, even before the law takes effect. Waiting for perfect policy risks paralysis when real progress is already within reach.”

Will Australia's Under 16 Social Media Ban be Effective?

A landmark trial began in Los Angeles Superior Court examining allegations that Meta and YouTube intentionally designed platforms to addict children. The plaintiff, identified as K.G.M., claims she became addicted to social media starting at a young age.

A landmark trial began in Los Angeles Superior Court examining allegations that Meta and YouTube intentionally designed platforms to addict children. The plaintiff, identified as K.G.M., claims she became addicted to social media starting at a young age.

Attorney Mark Lanier presented internal documents to the jury, including a 2015 email in which Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanded that time spent on Meta platforms increase by 12% to meet business goals. Lanier also showed documents indicating YouTube targeted young users to charge advertisers more.

Attorney Mark Lanier presented internal documents to the jury, including a 2015 email in which Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanded that time spent on Meta platforms increase by 12% to meet business goals. Lanier also showed documents indicating YouTube targeted young users to charge advertisers more.

Meta's lawyer Paul Schmidt argued that K.G.M.'s mental health struggles were caused by familial abuse and turmoil, not social media. He presented health records showing she had been seeing a therapist for mental health issues at age 3, before using Instagram.

Meta's lawyer Paul Schmidt argued that K.G.M.'s mental health struggles were caused by familial abuse and turmoil, not social media. He presented health records showing she had been seeing a therapist for mental health issues at age 3, before using Instagram.

The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks, with testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. TikTok and Snapchat settled with K.G.M. last month under undisclosed terms and are no longer defendants.

The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks, with testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. TikTok and Snapchat settled with K.G.M. last month under undisclosed terms and are no longer defendants.

Meta stated in a blog post that lawsuits oversimplify the complex issue of teenage mental health by narrowing challenges to a single factor. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said providing young people with a safer experience has always been core to their work.

Meta stated in a blog post that lawsuits oversimplify the complex issue of teenage mental health by narrowing challenges to a single factor. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said providing young people with a safer experience has always been core to their work.

A separate trial began Monday in New Mexico, where Attorney General Raul Torrez sued Meta over allegations the company failed to protect young users from sexual exploitation. The outcome of these trials could set precedents for thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide.

A separate trial began Monday in New Mexico, where Attorney General Raul Torrez sued Meta over allegations the company failed to protect young users from sexual exploitation. The outcome of these trials could set precedents for thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide.

Meta, YouTube Face Trial Over Child Addiction Claims

Meta, YouTube Face Trial Over Child Addiction Claims

The Controversies

Australia

McIntosh

Orlando

Mackey

Commission

Inserra

Sala

Flew

Xintavelonis

Grant

Albanese

Albanese

Koskie

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Meta, YouTube Face Trial Over Child Addiction Claims

Meta, YouTube Face Trial Over Child Addiction Claims

The Controversies

Australia

McIntosh

Orlando

Mackey

Commission

Inserra

Sala

Flew

Xintavelonis

Grant

Albanese

Albanese

Koskie

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