Defense Pushes Back on Plaintiffs Addiction Narrative in Landmark Social Media Trial

The icons of various social media apps in a file photo. Yui Mok/PA WireLOS ANGELES—A jury in a bellwether social media addiction trial in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 9 heard from a former therapist who testified, via recorded deposition, that it was not social media use alone, but rather a volatile mix of circumstances and triggers that led to a young plaintiff’s mental health challenges.The plaintiff, a 20-year-old California woman identified in court documents as “Kaley G.M.” or “K.G.M.” says she suffered depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia and other harms after becoming addicted to YouTube and Instagram while in elementary school.