YouTube claims in a historic digital addiction trial that it is not social media

YouTube told a California court that it is not a social media platform and does not create addiction, during opening arguments in an important social media addiction trial. The company said its service is mainly an entertainment and learning platform, more similar to Netflix than to social networks like Facebook or Instagram.

The case involves a 20-year-old California woman, identified in court as K.G.M., who sued YouTube and Meta’s Instagram. She claims the companies designed their apps in a way that made them addictive and harmed her mental health. She says her heavy use as a child led to anxiety, depression, and body image problems.

YouTube’s lawyer argued that the platform is used mostly for watching videos such as music, sports, cooking lessons, and creative content — not for endless social scrolling. He said YouTube’s recommendation algorithm simply suggests videos based on user interests and is not meant to manipulate behavior. He also told the jury that features like autoplay and infinite scroll can be turned off in the app settings.

According to YouTube’s legal team, K.G.M.’s actual usage of YouTube between 2020 and 2024 averaged about 29 minutes per day. They said only a few minutes of that time came from automatically recommended videos, and much of her time was spent listening to music. They also said she spent just over one minute per day watching YouTube Shorts, which uses an endless scroll format.

The plaintiff’s lawyer described social media platforms as “digital casinos.” He argued that features such as endless scrolling and swipe refresh are similar to slot machines and are designed to keep users hooked. He pointed to internal company documents from Google (YouTube’s parent company) that referred to some features as “slot machines.” He also cited Meta employee messages comparing company tactics to those used by tobacco companies.

Meta’s lawyers rejected the addiction claim. They argued that the woman’s mental health struggles were mainly due to family abuse and personal difficulties, not social media. They also showed medical records that they say do not highlight social media addiction as a main treatment concern.

Before this trial began, the plaintiff reached private settlements with Snap and TikTok, so those companies are no longer part of this case.

This trial is the first in a large group of lawsuits filed by teenagers, parents, school districts, and U.S. states against major tech platforms including Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube. These lawsuits claim the companies knowingly designed features that encourage excessive use among young people.

The tech companies deny these accusations and say there is no solid scientific proof that their platforms cause addiction like gambling or smoking. They also argue that U.S. federal law gives them legal protection for user activity and posted content.

If the plaintiff wins this case, it could lead to large financial damages and may push courts to order changes in how social media and video platforms design their apps. More related cases are scheduled to be heard later in federal court, where schools and states will argue that social media addiction has created a public health burden and increased treatment costs for young people.