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Video: Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Update: Plaintiff KGM to Testify at Historic Trial Against Big Tech
February 25, 2026
Transcript
A pivotal moment is unfolding in Los Angeles. Tracy Paulsen, founder of Rightful Legal, is closely watching as, for the first time, an individual plaintiff takes major social media companies to trial over claims that their platforms harmed her as a child.
Who Is the Plaintiff?
The plaintiff, identified in court by her initials KGM, is now 20 years old. She is expected to testify before a jury in Los Angeles Superior Court about the mental health struggles she says began after she started using social media at a young age.
KGM joined Instagram when she was just 9 years old. Her lawsuit alleges that social media companies made deliberate design decisions to increase engagement among children, not by accident, but for profit.
First Bellwether Trial in a Consolidated Social Media Lawsuit
This is the first bellwether trial in a consolidated group of more than 1600 lawsuits filed against:
- YouTube
- TikTok
- Snap
The plaintiffs, including hundreds of families and school districts, allege that these companies knowingly designed products that are addictive and harmful to young users.
Bellwether trials are intended to test how juries respond to evidence and legal arguments in large, consolidated cases. The outcome can influence settlement discussions and litigation strategy in hundreds of similar lawsuits nationwide.
Allegations Against Social Media Platforms
KGM’s complaint points to specific platform features, including:
- Algorithm driven endless feeds
- Reward systems that encourage repeated use
- Constant notifications
- Inadequate age verification
- Limited parental controls
The lawsuit argues that children are particularly vulnerable due to their stage of brain development and alleges that the companies understood and took advantage of that vulnerability.
Settlements and Ongoing Defendants
Two of the companies, TikTok and Snap, reached settlements with KGM before trial began. However, both remain defendants in other similar cases moving forward this year.
The remaining defendants in this trial include Instagram and YouTube.
Executive Testimony in Court
Jurors have already heard testimony from key technology executives.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, testified that while excessive use can be problematic, it is important to distinguish between clinical addiction and what he described as problematic use. He stated that protecting minors is ultimately good for business.
Mark Zuckerberg also testified, telling jurors that Meta focuses on building sustainable community rather than maximizing screen time. When questioned about age restrictions, he acknowledged that some children misrepresent their age and said Meta has developed stronger detection tools over time. He also stated that he wished certain safety measures had been implemented sooner.
Jurors also heard from Christos Goodrow, vice president of engineering at YouTube. He testified that YouTube measures what it calls time well spent, not simply time accumulated, and addressed internal goals tied to watch time.
Meta has argued that the central question for the jury is whether Instagram was a substantial factor in KGM’s mental health challenges, noting that she faced difficulties prior to joining social media.
Why KGM’s Testimony Matters
With KGM preparing to speak directly to the jury, the focus now shifts to her personal account.
This will be the first opportunity for jurors to hear, in her own words, how she believes these platforms affected her childhood, her mental health, and her development.
Because this is a bellwether trial, its outcome could influence hundreds, potentially thousands, of similar cases nationwide.
At stake is more than a single verdict. The jury is being asked to consider whether social media platforms are simply communication tools or products designed in ways that can foreseeably harm children.
KGM’s testimony may become the emotional and factual center of that decision.
Rightful Legal represents young victims in social media addiction cases nationwide. For questions about potential claims, you can contact Tracy Paulsen directly at 617 821 5856.
Please follow for continued updates as this historic trial unfolds.
