A landmark trial examining social media addiction resumed in a Los Angeles court on Monday, focusing on the design practices of YouTube as plaintiffs argue the platform deliberately encourages compulsive use among young users.
Cristos Goodrow, YouTube’s vice president of engineering, testified that the company’s goal is to provide value to viewers, not to foster harmful binge-watching or addiction. He directly challenged the characterization of YouTube as a platform designed to maximize screen time, stating, “We want people to be able to watch what they want to watch as quickly as possible every time.”
This defense followed intense questioning from plaintiff’s attorney Mark Lanier. Lanier highlighted YouTube’s historic “big, hairy, audacious goal” established over a decade ago to reach one billion daily viewing hours by 2016. He also noted that executive compensation, including Goodrow’s, was tied to the company’s share price—a metric heavily influenced by user engagement metrics.
Lanier presented internal company documents and pointed to specific features, such as personalized recommendations, autoplay for videos and ads, and a dedicated children’s version, as mechanisms that create a “treadmill of continuous checking” for new content. He argued these elements are engineered to keep users scrolling and watching longer.
Goodrow countered that YouTube is distinct from social networks like Facebook or Snapchat, as it is not primarily a forum for friends to connect or share ephemeral messages. He asserted that relentless scrolling would indicate a failure of the platform’s recommendation system, not a success. While acknowledging research linking excessive screen time to harm, Goodrow noted YouTube has implemented tools like view timers and break reminders to help users, particularly children, manage their consumption.
The trial will determine whether YouTube’s parent company, Google, and Meta bear responsibility for the mental health struggles of Kaley G.M., a 20-year-old plaintiff who began using YouTube at age six and later Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. She is expected to testify this week.
Last week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified, expressing regret over the company’s slow progress in identifying underage users on Instagram. Both tech giants deny deliberately targeting children or designing addictive platforms. Settlements with TikTok and Snapchat were reached prior to the trial.
This case is the first in a wave of lawsuits filed by American families against social media companies. The outcome is poised to set a critical precedent for thousands of similar claims blaming these platforms for contributing to a youth mental health crisis involving depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. The trial is scheduled to continue through late March.
