Plaintiff in landmark social media trial testifies that apps affected her 'self-worth'

Now 20 years old, the plaintiff — identified in court documents by her initials "K.G.M." — detailed how her social media use “really affected my self worth.”

LOS ANGELES — In a highly-anticipated testimony Thursday, the plaintiff in a landmark social media addiction trial said using apps like Instagram and YouTube when she was a child fueled her depression and anxiety, leading her to withdraw from her family.

Now 20 years old, the plaintiff — identified in court documents by her initials, K.G.M. — detailed how her almost nonstop use of social media “really affected my self-worth.”

“They made me give up a lot of hobbies and old interests, and they prevented me from making friends ... [and] caused me to compare myself to other people,” she told jurors in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

“I just felt like I wanted to be on it all the time,” she said. “If I wasn’t on it, I was going to miss out on something.”

K.G.M.’s trial is the first in a consolidated group of cases brought against Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Snap by more than 1,600 plaintiffs, including over 350 families and over 250 school districts. The plaintiffs accuse the tech companies of knowingly designing addictive products harmful to young users’ mental health.