Feb. 24, 2026
Lead social media attorney apologizes for rule violations in bellwether trial
A YouTube engineering vice president told a Los Angeles jury the platform optimizes for user value, not addiction, as plaintiffs in coordinated social media litigation claim its design fueled compulsive use and harmed a young user's mental health.
The lead attorney for the bellwether social media addiction trial apologized to the court Monday after the judge removed him from the plaintiffs' steering committee for violating rules on use of Zoom and his mobile phone.
"In a trial centered on tech accountability, it is only right that I accept responsibility for violating Court rules regarding technology used in the courthouse," Social Media Victims Law Center founder Matthew P. Bergman's statement said.
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