Meta, TikTok, YouTube dey face accuse say dem no dey protect pikin well

Big three tech companies for world dey face one important court case for Los Angeles wey go start this week, because dem dey accuse say their platforms — Instagram (Meta), TikTok (ByteDance), and YouTube (Google) — dey purposely encourage addiction and harm children.

Jury selection go start this week for Los Angeles County Superior Court. Na the first time dem go argue these companies case in front of jurors, and the result fit get big impact on their business and how dem dey manage children use of their apps.

Dem dey expect say jury selection go take at least small days, and dem go dey ask potential jurors about 75 questions a day until Thursday.

The fourth company wey the suits mention, Snapchat owner Snap Inc., don settle the case last week for some undisclosed amount.

Main matter for the case na one 19-year-old girl wey dem show with the initials “KGM.” Her case fit shape how thousands of other lawsuits wey people don file against the social platforms go run.

Dem pick her plus two other plaintiffs to be bellwether cases — that one mean dem go test the issues for both sides to see how the evidence go look for jury and wetin kind damages fit come if dem win, according to Clay Calvert, a senior tech policy official at the Center for American Progress.

Design choices and alleged push to hook young people

KGM dey claim say she start using social media from when she small, and that use lead her to addiction to these technologies and make her depression and suicidal thoughts worse.

Important part of the lawsuit be say dem say companies deliberately design features wey make their apps addictive to children to increase ad revenue. If plaintiffs win, the case fit undermine protections from the First Amendment and Section 230 wey normally shield tech companies from liability for content on their platforms.

The complaint argue say companies borrow tactics wey gambling machines and cigarette makers use — they add technical features inside their products to boost youth engagement and make more advertising money.

Top executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, dey expected to testify for the trial, wey fit last six to eight weeks.

Experts dey compare the case to the Big Tobacco lawsuits wey lead to the 1998 settlement wey make cigarette companies pay billions for health costs and limit marketing to kids.

The plaintiffs say say dem no be only angry about addictive products. Dem be people wey suffer direct harm from actions the companies allegedly take on purpose. Dem say children were targeted to push harmful goals wey fit encourage self-destructive responses.

Mental health fight

The tech companies deny the claims that their products intentionally harm kids. Dem point to many safety measures dem don add over the years, and they argue say dem no be responsible for content other people post on their platforms.

Meta recently said some lawsuits try to blame social media for youth mental health problems, but that mental health is complicated and multi‑faceted. They say reducing youth mental health challenges to one thing ignore scientific research and other pressures young people face today — like school stress, safety at school, social and economic problems, and drug use.

Meta, YouTube and TikTok no reply to requests for comment on Monday.

This case go be first among many cases wey start this year wey dey try hold platforms responsible for harm to kids’ mental health.

One trial wey go start in June for Oakland, California, go represent school districts wey sue social media platforms over harm to minors.

Also, more than 40 state attorneys general don sue Meta, saying the company harms young people and contributes to youth mental health problems by deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that make kids addicted to the apps. Many of the suits dey in federal court, while some dey state courts.

TikTok still dey face similar lawsuits in more than twelve states.