Meta, TikTok, YouTube Face Trial Over Youth Mental Health Claims as Jury Selection Begins

Jury selection began Tuesday in a California trial that could reshape how social media companies are held accountable for harm to young users. Meta, TikTok, and YouTube are all named as defendants.

The case in Los Angeles County Superior Court serves as a test for thousands of similar lawsuits filed against tech giants, part of a broader legal effort that could weaken Big Tech's longstanding legal protections.

The plaintiff, a 19-year-old California woman, claims she became addicted to the companies' platforms at a young age because of their attention-grabbing design. According to court filings, she alleges the apps fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts and is seeking to hold the companies liable for damages.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to take the witness stand. The company's lawyers said Meta will argue its products did not cause the plaintiff's mental health challenges.

YouTube is taking a different approach, with an executive saying ahead of trial that the company will argue its platform is fundamentally different from social media apps like Instagram and TikTok and should not be grouped with them in court.

TikTok declined to comment on its planned arguments.

How the jury weighs these competing claims—and whether the companies' legal defenses hold—could set the tone for the wave of litigation still pending.