A historic lawsuit challenging the design of popular social media platforms is unfolding in a US courtroom.

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, as well as Alphabet Inc., the owner of Google, are accused of creating products that exploit users’ psychological vulnerabilities, leading to excessive screen time and negative impacts on mental health. The plaintiff, a young woman who remains anonymous due to her fear of retribution, testified about how she spent an entire day using Instagram in 2018. She claimed that the app’s algorithm was designed to keep her engaged by displaying content tailored to her interests, but also used tactics such as infinite scrolling and notifications to break her willpower. She described feeling a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) whenever she saw posts from friends or influencers, and how the constant stream of updates kept her glued to the screen. She even admitted that her social media use had become an obsession, taking up more than 4 hours of her daily routine. As she spoke, lawyers for Meta and Google presented data suggesting that their platforms were designed with features intended to foster engagement, such as personalized feeds and notifications. However, they also acknowledged that excessive screen time could have negative effects on users’ mental health. The plaintiff’s testimony is a key moment in the trial, which aims to set a precedent for future lawsuits against tech giants. The outcome of this landmark case will determine whether social media companies can be held accountable for their role in shaping users’ behavior and contributing to widespread addiction.