A landmark courtroom battle in California is putting Big Tech under intense scrutiny, as a young woman claims her childhood exposure to social media platforms left lasting scars on her mental health.
In a case that could redefine corporate accountability in the digital age, her former therapist has testified that adolescent social media use was a contributing factor to her psychological struggles.
A former psychotherapist testified in a Los Angeles court that a California teenager’s social media use played a role in her mental health issues, as she sues Meta’s Instagram and Alphabet’s YouTube.
Victoria Burke, who treated the plaintiff identified in court as Kaley G.M. in 2019 when she was 13, said the teen was first diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, later revised to social anxiety and body dysmorphic disorder.
Although Burke did not directly blame social media, she stated that online bullying and peer pressure were contributing factors.
According to the lawsuit, Kaley began using YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine. Her lawyers argue the platforms were deliberately designed with addictive features such as autoplay videos, endless scrolling, “like” buttons, and beauty filters elements they claim worsened her depression and body image concerns.
Meta and YouTube deny the allegations. Defense lawyers pointed to Kaley’s troubled home environment and argued she did not fully use safety tools available on the platforms. Court records indicate her average YouTube usage was relatively limited.
The case forms part of a growing global debate over whether social media companies can be held legally responsible for mental health harms among children and teenagers.
