The former Facebook advertising head told the court that increasing audience size had surpassed the importance of users' mental health.

Legal Proceedings in Los Angeles: Teen Accuses Social Media of Creating Addiction

A lawsuit has erupted in Los Angeles, in which 20‑year‑old Kaley filed a claim against major technology companies. She alleges that social media developers deliberately embed features that foster addiction among teenagers.

Key Participants
Participant | Role | Kaley | Teen plaintiff, accuses companies of creating a “digital casino”
Brian Boland | Former top executive at Meta (formerly Facebook), witness in court
Mark Zuckerberg | CEO of Meta, testified on corporate responsibility

What Kaley Claims
1. Early addiction to social media

- YouTube – 6 years
- Instagram – 9 years
- TikTok and Snapchat – active use

2. Psychological consequences

- Body image issues, depression, suicidal thoughts
- Beauty filters, infinite scrolling, autoplay – “digital casino”

3. Concealment of harm evidence

Kaley asserts that companies kept data on the harms of their features secret.

Court Proceedings
- The lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court against Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap.
- TikTok and Snap have already settled claims outside court.
- The case has become a “benchmark” among 1,600 similar lawsuits from families and school districts.

Brian Boland’s Statements
- Confirmation of focus on audience growth: Boland said Meta cares more about expanding its user base than mental health.
- Personal journey in the company: from “deep blind faith” to realizing that competition and profit are Mark Zuckerberg’s priorities.
- Meta algorithms: designed for engagement; no moral algorithms.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Testimony
- Emphasized Meta’s mission as a balance between safety and freedom of expression, not just profit.
- However, Boland’s response made it clear that from the outset audience growth cost the company attention to user well‑being.

Conclusion: This process illustrates growing tension around how major social networks manage addiction and mental health among teens. The question of who bears responsibility remains open for judicial scrutiny.