Google's YouTube settles social media addiction case with teen

<p>R.K.C.'s claims are similar to those of K.G.M, according to court documents.</p>

<p>He claims that features like infinite scroll and autoplay, both of which continuously and automatically show users new content on a platform, drove compulsive use that became a type of addiction. It caused him anxiety and sleep deprivation, among other issues.</p>

<p>"As jurors saw in the first bellwether trial, leadership at these social media companies have been strategizing for years to hook children early and maximize their usage," said R.K.C.'s attorneys John Morgan and Emily Jeffcott in a statement.</p>

<p>Google told the BBC it had built YouTube "responsibly - working with families to give young people safer, more helpful experiences online" for more than a decade. The platform in 2015 launched YouTube Kids, a version designed and curated for children.</p>

<p>The company also last month <a href="/news/articles/cgepze483pqo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">settled another case</a> that was heading to trial, in which a Kentucky school district accused YouTube, Meta, Snap and TikTok of creating a mental health crisis for its students.</p>

<p>All of the companies ultimately decided to settle instead of going to trial.</p>

<p>The school district wanted the companies to change their purportedly addictive features, but also to pay for the costs schools incurred in helping children deal with things like anxiety, depression and even self-harm allegedly driven by their social media use.</p>

<p>The trial was due to begin in mid-June in federal court in Oakland, California, as part of a multi-district litigation (MDL) that includes thousands of similar cases and claims.</p>

<p><a href="/news/articles/c9q39l447l4o" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Another trial</a> in the MDL brought by US states against Meta is set to proceed in the same court starting in August.</p>

<li><a href="/news/technology-68225707" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>How can you keep your child safe online?</p></a></li>

<p>How can you keep your child safe online?</p>

<li><a href="/news/technology-65855333" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>What is AI and how does it work?</p></a></li>

<p>What is AI and how does it work?</p>

<li><a href="/news/articles/c747x7gz249o" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>Campaigners welcome Meta and YouTube's defeat in landmark social media addiction trial</p></a><ul><li>Published27 March</li></ul></li>

<p>Campaigners welcome Meta and YouTube's defeat in landmark social media addiction trial</p>

<li>Published27 March</li>

<p><a href="/newsletters/zxh6cxs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter</a> to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. <a href="https://cloud.email.bbc.com/techdecoded-newsletter-signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Outside the UK? Sign up here</a>.</p>

<h2>Related topics</h2>

<li><a href="/news/topics/c77jz3mdmjxt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></li>

<li><a href="/news/topics/c8nq32jw83wt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Google</a></li>

<li><a href="/news/topics/cm1rm9z259kt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meta</a></li>

Guardian Sport · Jun 24

Guardian Sport · Jun 24

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