A US trial in Los Angeles opened its second day on Tuesday, examining whether YouTube and Meta deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive to children.
YouTube’s lawyer argued the platform is not social media and cannot cause addiction, comparing it instead to educational tools or streaming services like Netflix.
The case centers on a 20-year-old woman, Kaley G.M., who claims severe mental harm from early exposure to YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
Plaintiffs’ witnesses, including a Stanford professor, described social media as a “gateway drug” that exploits undeveloped teenage brains.
The trial is seen as a bellwether that could influence hundreds of similar lawsuits against tech giants over youth addiction and mental health.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 12, 2026
YOUTUBE CLAIMS IT’S A PLATFORM, NOT SOCIAL MEDIA, IN ADDICTION LAWSUIT
Latest from Business
Australian health care provider Kairos Care or Kairos Medical Group is exploring IT-BPO operations in the
More than 60% of licensed Philippine online gaming firms are struggling to meet Pagcor’s minimum revenue
The Philippines and Iceland signed an initial air services agreement allowing up to seven flights per
The Marcos administration plans to ramp up infrastructure spending to ₱741 billion in the second half
Stakeholders have formally established the United Ube PH Association Inc. to strengthen representation, policy direction and