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In Landmark Trial, YouTube Says It’s Not Social Media, Doesn’t Addict Children

On the second day, an expert witness for the plaintiff argues platforms are designed to ensnare young users in a vicious cycle of addiction and mental illness.
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In Landmark Trial, YouTube Says It’s Not Social Media, Doesn’t Addict Children
The YouTube app is displayed on an iPad in Baltimore on March 20, 2018. Patrick Semansky/AP Photo
Beige Luciano-Adams
Beige Luciano-Adams
2/11/2026|Updated: 2/11/2026
0:00
LOS ANGELES—On the second day of a landmark jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court—the first to take on tech giants over claims their social media platforms are addicting kids and fueling a national mental health crisis—attorneys for YouTube questioned on Tuesday whether the video app is, in fact, social media.

At the center of the case is a 19-year-old California woman identified in court documents by the initials “K.G.M.” or “Kelsey G.M,” who is accusing the tech giants of engineering products that rewire young people’s brains and trap them in a cycle of addiction and mental illness.

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Beige Luciano-Adams
Beige Luciano-Adams
Author
Beige Luciano-Adams is an investigative reporter covering Los Angeles and statewide issues in California. She has covered politics, arts, culture, and social issues for a variety of outlets, including LA Weekly and MediaNews Group publications. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X: https://twitter.com/LucianoBeige
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