California Woman'S Social Media Addiction Case Against Meta, Youtube

In a significant development in the ongoing civil trial against Meta's Instagram and Alphabet's YouTube, Victoria Burke, the former psychotherapist of plaintiff Kaley G.M., testified that social media usage during adolescence contributed to Kaley's mental health struggles. Burke, who treated Kaley for anxiety and body dysmorphic disorder, stated, "I believe Kaley's social media experience was a contributing factor" to her issues, highlighting instances of online bullying that Kaley reported. The trial, which is testing the accountability of Big Tech for the mental health crisis among youth, has drawn attention to the early age at which Kaley began using these platforms—starting with YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9. Kaley's lawsuit argues that these platforms' designs are intentionally addictive, profiting from young users despite the known risks to their mental health (Business Recorder, February 26, 2026; The Hindu, February 26, 2026).