Mar. 13, 2026
Closing arguments focus on whether social media features caused teen's harm
Attorneys delivered closing arguments in a landmark social media addiction trial, debating whether Instagram's and YouTube's design features substantially contributed to a plaintiff's mental health struggles.
Evidence in the nearly two-month social media addiction bellwether trial showed that Meta Platforms and Google knowingly designed Instagram and YouTube with features meant to addict children in harmful ways, plaintiff's attorney Mark Lanier said during closing arguments Thursday.
Defense attorneys told jurors the central question they must answer is whether those platform features were the driving cause of plaintiff Kaley G.M.'s alleged harms.
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