Tech giants face landmark trial over social media addiction claims

A landmark trial begins in California involving Meta, ByteDance, and Google, facing claims that their social media algorithms led to the plaintiff's addiction and mental health issues. The 19-year-old plaintiff, KGM, alleges the platforms' designs are intentionally addictive, causing harm. This case marks a shift in how the US legal system treats tech firms, challenging their reliance on Section 230 for liability protection. The focus is on the companies' design choices regarding algorithms and notifications. The plaintiff's attorney argues that the companies prioritized profits over the well-being of young users, while legal experts suggest that losing the case could pose an existential threat to social media companies.

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