Meta and YouTube Called ‘Digital Casinos’ in Landmark Trial

In a crowded Los Angeles courtroom, lawyer Mark Lanier opened a bellwether trial by stacking three wooden children’s blocks and saying the case was “as easy as ABC: Addicting, brains, children.” A 20‑year‑old plaintiff identified as K.G.M. alleges that Meta, owner of Instagram, and YouTube built their platforms to be addictive, with features such as endless swiping that Mr.

Lanier compared to the handle of a slot machine. The case is the first of a series testing a legal theory that social media can be as harmful as casinos or cigarettes. Teenagers, school districts and states have filed thousands of suits arguing that features like infinite scroll, auto play and algorithmic recommendations encourage excessive use.

The companies deny that their products cause addiction and have pointed to a speech shield law that they say limits liability for user content. During opening statements, Mr. Lanier showed internal Meta and YouTube documents dating back to 2011 that he said demonstrated executives knew of negative effects on children.

United States, Los Angeles

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