LOS ANGELES (AP) — Comparing social media platforms to casinos and addictive drugs, lawyer Mark Lanier delivered opening statements Monday in a landmark trial in Los Angeles that seeks to hold Instagram owner Meta and Google’s YouTube responsible for harms to children who use their products.

Instagram’s parent company Meta and Google’s YouTube face claims that their platforms addict children through deliberate design choices that keep kids glued to their screens. TikTok and Snap, which were originally named in the lawsuit, settled for undisclosed sums.

Jurors got their first glimpse into what will be a lengthy trial characterized by dueling narratives from the plaintiffs and the two remaining defendants.

Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt spoke of the disagreement within the scientific community over social media addiction, with some researchers believing it doesn’t exist, or that addiction is not the most appropriate way to describe heavy social media use.

Lawyers representing YouTube will begin their opening statement on Tuesday.

‘Addicting the brains of children’

Lanier, the plaintiff’s lawyer, delivered lively first remarks where he said the case will be as “easy as ABC” — which stands for “addicting the brains of children.” He said Meta and Google, “two of the richest corporations in history,” have “engineered addiction in children’s brains.”

He presented jurors with a slew of internal emails, documents and studies conducted by Meta and YouTube, as well as YouTube’s parent company, Google. He emphasized the findings of a study Meta conducted called “Project Myst” in which they surveyed 1,000 teens and their parents about their social media use. The two major findings, Lanier said, were that Meta knew children who experienced “adverse events” like trauma and stress were particularly vulnerable for addiction; and that parental supervision and controls made little impact.

He also highlighted internal Google documents that likened some company products to a casino, and internal communication between Meta employees in which one person said Instagram is “like a drug” and they are “basically pushers.”

At the core of the Los Angeles case is a 20-year-old identified only by the initials “KGM,” whose case could determine how thousands of other, similar lawsuits against social media companies will play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury.

Plaintiff grew up using YouTube, Instagram

KGM made a brief appearance after a break during Lanier’s statement and she will return to testify later in the trial. Lanier spent time describing KGM’s childhood, focusing particularly on what her personality was like before she began using social media. She started using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, Lanier said. Before she graduated elementary school, she had posted 284 videos on YouTube.

The outcome of the trial could have profound effects on the companies’ businesses and how they will handle children using their platforms.

Lanier said the companies’ lawyers will “try to blame the little girl and her parents for the trap they built,” referencing the plaintiff. She was a minor when she said she became addicted to social media, which she claims had a detrimental impact on her mental health.

Lanier said that despite the public position of Meta and YouTube being that they work to protect children, their internal documents show an entirely different position, with explicit references to young children being listed as their target audiences.

The attorney also drew comparisons between the social media companies and tobacco firms, citing internal communication between Meta employees who were concerned about the company’s lack of proactive action about the potential harm their platforms can have on children and teens.

“For a teenager, social validation is survival,” Lanier said. The defendants “engineered a feature that caters to a minor’s craving for social validation,” he added, speaking about “like” buttons and similar features.

Meta pushes back

In his opening statement representing Meta, Schmidt said the core question in the case is whether the platforms were a substantial factor in KGM’s mental health struggles. He spent much of his time going through the plaintiff’s health records, emphasizing that she had experienced many difficult circumstances in her childhood, including emotional abuse, body image issues and bullying.

Schmidt presented a clip from a video deposition from one of KGM‘s mental health providers, Dr. Thomas Suberman, who said social media was “not the through-line of what I recall being her main issues,” adding that her struggles seemed to largely stem from interpersonal conflicts and relationships. He painted a picture — with KGM’s own text messages and testimony pointing to a volatile home life — of a particularly troubled relationship with her mother.

Schmidt acknowledged that many mental health professionals do believe social media addiction can exist, but said three of KGM’s providers — all of whom believe in the form of addiction — have never diagnosed her with it, or treated her for it.

Schmidt emphasized to the jurors that the case is not about whether social media is a good thing or whether teens spend too much time on their phones or whether the jurors like or dislike Meta, but whether social media was a substantial factor in KGM’s mental health struggles.

A reckoning for social media and youth harms

A slew of trials beginning this year seek to hold social media companies responsible for harming children’s mental well-being. Executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify at the Los Angeles trial, which will last six to eight weeks. Experts have drawn similarities to the Big Tobacco trials that led to a 1998 settlement requiring cigarette companies to pay billions in health care costs and restrict marketing targeting minors.

A separate trial in New Mexico, meanwhile, also kicked off with opening statements on Monday. In that trial, Meta is accused of failing to protect young users from sexual exploitation, following an undercover online investigation. Attorney General Raúl Torrez in late 2023 sued Meta and Zuckerberg, who was later dropped from the suit.

A federal bellwether trial beginning in June in Oakland, California, will be the first to represent school districts that have sued social media platforms over harms to children.

In addition, more than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, claiming it is harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. The majority of cases filed their lawsuits in federal court, but some sued in their respective states.

TikTok also faces similar lawsuits in more than a dozen states.

—

Ortutay reported from Oakland, California. Associated Press Writer Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico, contributed to this story.

There are plenty of incredible restaurants in Cambridgeshire that deserve a bit more praise.

The Michelin Guide has just announced the new restaurants that have been awarded Michelin Stars for 2026. Two restaurants in Cambridgeshire that were awarded Michelin Stars in the past have managed to hold onto the coveted award.

Midsummer House, which has two stars, and Restaurant Twenty Two, which has one star, have both been able to maintain the high standards of food and service to keep their stars. Both restaurants can be found in Cambridge, offering impressive set menus for those wanting to celebrate a special occasion.

Even though Cambridgeshire only has two food spots recognised by the guide, the county has plenty of places that are still worth visiting for a meal out with friends and family. CambridgeshireLive wants its readers to share their favourite restaurants in Cambridgeshire.

If there is a restaurant that you love because of its service or unique dishes, we want you to nominate them using our survey. A restaurant might stand out to you thanks to its beautiful interior design or high-quality food.

If there is a restaurant that you believe deserves more attention or even a Michelin Star, you can nominate them using our survey below. If the survey does not appear for you, you can open it in a new tab.

During five years as defensive co-ordinator of the London Warriors, Durde was able to earn coaching internships with the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons, before the latter made him Britain’s first full-time NFL coach in 2018.

He progressed through roles with Atlanta and Dallas before Seattle’s new head coach Mike Macdonald made Durde his defensive co-ordinator in 2024.

‘AD’, as he is known at the Seahawks, has since helped create a defence he describes as “fast, physical, ball-hungry, and they work as a collective”.

“AD is an absolute game-changer for us,” said Macdonald on Monday. “It’s not just an incredible story that got him to this point, it’s him as a football mind, a football coach.

“He’s someone that has really brought us together, and the way that our defence plays inspired football is a great tribute to how AD operates, and what he brings to our football team and our organisation. I’m really happy for AD.

“He’s just an absolute beast and he’s so much fun to work with. He’s right there alongside, building this whole thing. It’s been a special journey.”

The Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots to win 29-13 on Sunday, but Durde has not just become a Super Bowl champion, he has helped forge a defence that will go down in NFL folklore.

Seattle’s defence has been dubbed ‘the Dark Side’ and produced a performance long-time NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth said was “as good as I have ever seen”.

“That’s pretty cool,” said Durde. “But we have to give credit to the players. They made a commitment, they wanted to be the best in the world, and we got the outcome we wanted.”

Eni Aluko and Simon Jordan were caught in a heated row during talkSPORT’s advert break after he told her on air that her ‘entitlement would re-sink the Titanic’.

Aluko was a guest on the ‘White & Jordan’ show on Tuesday morning to talk about her recent criticism of Ian Wright’s prominent role in women’s football and her unhappiness with ITV’s decision to not select her as a pundit for the Euro 2025 final last summer.

During the interview, Jordan took exception to Aluko’s view on why she was overlooked by ITV with a scathing attack on her personality.

‘As far as expertise are concerned, when I listen to her as a pundit, the times I’ve listened to her, I don’t think that she is particularly enlightening, or illuminating, or engaging or charismatic, or sometimes comes across particularly likeable, but that’s my view and some people have the same view about me,’ Jordan told Aluko.

‘And my view of punditry is, when I listen to a pundit, whoever that pundit might be, whether it’s male, female, black, white, yellow, green, it’s, ‘do I learn something, do they engage me, and do they merit my attention?’.’

Aluko replied: ‘It’s an opinion which we are all entitled to. Everybody has them, I’m not going to listen to a mob on X who have never, ever put themselves in any situation to do anything close to what I’ve done in my career. I listen to the professionals, I listen to the people who have hired me for the last 11 years around the world, the biggest broadcasters in the world, by default if I’m working with the people who are considered the brilliant broadcasters, then if I’m in the same team as them, next to them, then by default I’m also considered a brilliant broadcaster.

‘So I take everything you’re saying, but the reality is I’ve been good enough for 11 years. As I said, I’m the person who would go and seek out feedback for someone to go, ‘I think you’re struggling’, it’s never happened.’

Jordan then said: ‘See, the language that you use, Eni, is steeped in a sense of entitlement. I mean, the sheer weight of the entitlement that you seem to believe you have would re-sink the Titanic.

‘I think you’ve been quite fortuitous. I think because of initiatives like DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion], they’ve allowed people to be put into positions in the men’s game that I don’t think they’ve merited, and they now seeds an attitude that you become a stalwart in the women’s game.

‘I listened to your observations about Ian, and Ian Wright is in the Ian Wright business, always has been, I’ve known Ian for 25 years and I have my own views on him, Ian is not in any shape or form obligated to provide any support structure for you or to give you a sense of entitlement.

‘Your position now as a broadcaster will be determined by the value of you. And he fact people aren’t potentially booking you now should give you pause for thought about why they might not be.’

Aluko replied: ‘Hold on, the reason people aren’t booking me is because I’ve taken myself out of the firing line. My last conversation with ITV was I’m taking a break from broadcasting.’

After talkSPORT cut from the first advert break back to the studio, the pair could be seen having an argument with Jordan forcefully gesticulating towards Aluko.

Jordan then stayed silent for the next eight-minute segment of the interview and was not asked any questions by the show’s host Jim White.

Aluko was later asked by White about people accusing her of being a ‘DEI hire’.

She replied: ‘I think it’s racist. I think it’s extremely racist to reduce someone to the colour of their skin without an assessment of all of the qualifications that get them the job.

‘It’s been considered racist by a criminal court to say that, by the way. You’ve got to be very careful to say that to a black person who can reel off a bunch of qualifications to do any job.

‘Listen, I’ve not done any job on the basis of my identity, I’ve always been the person who can back it up.’

Aluko also accused Laura Woods of ‘gaslighting’ her after the ITV host described Aluko’s suggestion that women’s football should only hire female broadcasters as ‘one of the most damaging phrases I’ve heard’.

When asked about Woods’ comments, Aluko replied: ‘I respect Laura’s opinion and always have done. I think it’s helpful for her to outline a lot of the attributes that go into a brilliant pundit.

‘Caps is part of that, as I explained, it’s not the decider, but it’s an objective way to say this person has enough experience to talk about this specific game.

‘Now, it’s interesting because Laura is one of the people I would consistently go to, we got on like a house on fire, I’d got to her and say: ‘How do you think it went? What do you think?’.

‘Laura consistently – and I had to look at the messages again and go hold on, I feel a bit gaslit here, said to me, ‘I think you’re a brilliant broadcaster, I think you’re a brilliant pundit’.

‘So, I think there’s a little bit of serving an argument at this point, which I respect, she doesn’t agree and that’s fine, but I think there’s an insinuation in there, that you don’t meet the standard.

‘Again, I’ve worked too hard for people to conclude that because you’re not seeing me on screen, I’m not good enough, that’s not true.’

When asked by White about her use of the phrase ‘gaslit’, Aluko replied: ‘Well, not gaslit, I don’t want to say that because she has a view and I appreciate her view.

‘She mentioned about little boys being important as well, I agree, but when I see little boys coming to the games now, they’ve got women on their shirts, they don’t have men pundit names on their shirts.’

When asked again about her feeling of being gaslit, Aluko added: ‘Well to the extent that I feel there’s an potential insinuation there, that if you’re sitting in the stands and not on screen then you don’t meet all of these things that make a brilliant broadcaster.

‘But as I said privately, she’s told me many times, and reassured me many times, that she thinks I’m a brilliant broadcaster, which I will forever appreciate from Laura.’

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HomeAid has supported AHA with items for their Home Starter Packs. These packs are handed out to new tenants in need, to get them started in their new home.

Almond Housing Association (AHA) has welcomed HomeAid West Lothian into their building, as they open a new furniture and thrift store in Craigshill.

Over the past few years, AHA and HomeAid have worked together on a variety of initiatives, including supporting tenants with household essentials. Getting the keys to a new property is often an exciting time but furnishing the home comes at an additional cost.

HomeAid has supported AHA with items for their Home Starter Packs. These packs are handed out to new tenants in need, to get them started in their new home.

Items such as duvets, duvet covers and curtains have been provided through this partnership.

READ MORE: West Lothian will join pilot scheme offering weight loss jabs free of charge to patients

The new store in Craigshill offers a variety of second-hand furniture and white goods, as well as thrift shop items. This will give residents an opportunity to purchase high quality goods at reasonable prices.

John Davidson, AHA Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to have the HomeAid team in the building. We have been working on this project behind the scenes for a few years and it’s great to see it come to life.

“Having relocated our team to the first floor of the building after Covid, we were keen to utilise the vacant space on the ground floor for the benefit of the community.

“The opening of the HomeAid store is positive and builds on the previous changes made to our reception area, now known as The Big Living Room, which is open to local groups and hosts ongoing events and classes.”

As well as providing high quality products, HomeAid is also helping to reduce waste by repurposing furniture from AHA’s void properties.

READ MORE: ‘Sausage thief’ caught on CCTV in brazen Scots corner shop incident

Willie Dunn, HomeAid Chief Executive added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Almond Housing on our new store in Craigshill.

“We have a range of preloved clothes and furniture at affordable prices for everyone in West Lothian.

“We also offer a layaway scheme that allows customers to pay for larger items over a period of time, interest free and at no extra cost. This is a free service open to all.”

READ MORE: Major West Lothian road to get new cycle path through town centre

Don’t miss the latest news from the West Lothian Courier. Sign up to our free newsletter here.

Nathan Owens was last night charged with murder after the death of 19-year-old Carla, a second-year student, last Thursday (February 5). 

Officers were called to a student accommodation on Victoria Street following the sudden death and found Carla’s body inside the address. 

Owens, 34, of Hopps Street, was arrested by Lancashire Police last Friday before being charged and remanded in custody to appear before Preston Magistrates’ Court today.

“Our thoughts remain with her loved ones at this time”, the force said.

As part of the probe, police have been carrying out door-to-door enquiries and conducting searches in the area, using police dogs and a drone.

​Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: “Following designation of Apple and Google’s mobile platforms in October last year, the CMA has moved swiftly to secure a package of commitments from Apple and Google that will boost the UK’s app economy, giving developers the opportunity and confidence they need to invest and innovate.

MILAN (AP) — U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn says she has smoothed out copyright concerns with the artist behind one of the pieces of her free skate music, and that the Olympic team gold medalist may have struck up a new friendship with him because of it.

Canadian artist Seb McKinnon, who produces music under the name CLANN, had taken to social media after Glenn performed her free skate to conclude the team event Sunday and expressed surprise that his song, “The Return,” was used as part of the program.

“So just found out an Olympic figure skater used one of my songs without permission for their routine. It aired all over the world … what? Is that usual practice for the Olympics?” McKinnon posted to X, before eventually congratulating Glenn on her medal.

Figure skaters are required to obtain copyright permission for the music they use. But the process is confusing and prone to mistakes, and several skaters at the Milan Cortina Games have had to change programs at the last minute because of it.

“The issue of music rights can be complex and confusing,” Glenn said in a statement. “Seems like there was a hiccup in that whole process. I’m glad we cleared things up with Seb and I look forward to collaborating with him.”

It was not clear where the hiccup occurred. Glenn has been performing to “The Return” for the past two years without any issues.

“It was a dream come true to perform at the Olympic Games and to have Seb acknowledge my performance and congratulate me afterward made the moment even more special,” Glenn said. “It’s my sincere hope that I was able to help create new fans of both figure skating and Seb. We will move forward and continue supporting both artists and the skating community.”

McKinnon, whose debut feature film will be released soon, said he was not trying to cause a controversy with his social media post.

“There’s absolutely no hate on my side,” he said. “At the same time I just want to make sure the artist rights are respected.”

The issue of copyright is a relatively new problem in figure skating, because for generations the only music that could be used was mostly part of the public domain. But when the International Skating Union relaxed its regulations in 2014 and athletes began using more modern music reflective of their own personality, some artists began to demand compensation for their work.

The ISU has been working to help skaters avoid copyright problems, but several still have popped up during the Winter Games.

Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate had to work feverishly to obtain approval for the music to his short program, set to a medley from the animated film “Minions.” Sabate had been performing the popular program all season, only to learn Universal Studios was poised to reject its use during the Winter Games. He got the final approval he needed last Friday.

Russian skater Petr Gumennik did have to change his short program two days before the start of competition Tuesday night because he did not have the proper permission for music from “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer,” a psychological thriller. He pivoted to “Waltz 1805” by Edgar Hakobyan, for which Gumennik was able to get permission.

As for Glenn, the three-time U.S. champion has become an unintentional lightning rod during the Olympics.

An outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist, Glenn said she has been receiving threats following a pre-Olympics press conference in which she said that the queer community is going through a “hard time” amid the political climate under President Donald Trump.

“I was disappointed because I’ve never had so many people wish me harm before, just for being me and speaking ‍about being decent — human rights and decency,” Glenn said Sunday night, wearing an LGBTQ+ pin on her team jacket during the team medal ceremony.

“So that was really disappointing,” Glenn added, “and I do think it kind of lowered that excitement for this.”

Glenn spent most of Monday making the TV rounds with several of her teammates to celebrate their gold medals, the second straight for the Americans in the Olympic team event. Then she planned to head to a training camp outside of Milan to prepare for the women’s individual competition, which begins with the short program on Feb. 17.

“For all of us first-time Olympians, you saw our nerves, and (it was good) just getting them out,” Glenn said following the team event. “So I’m really grateful that I was able to have this opportunity ahead of the individual.”

___

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

“It’s a beautiful top. Very versatile for so many occasions.”

Next shoppers are raving about a top that’s the ideal addition to your spring and summer collections. It can be worn as a layering piece during the day, or on its own for an evening look.

The Ruched Mesh Long Sleeve Top is selling for £24-£32. Available in sizes 6 to 26, it comes in black polka dot, chocolate brown/blue polka dot, chocolate brown/pink polka dot, ecru/black polka dot, floral and Lindsey Cherek Waller floral.

The top is designed in a regular fit, and features a slash neckline. Ruched side detailing and long sleeves complete the look.

For a simple outfit, you can pair it with the £35 High Rise Stretch Wide Leg Jeans from Next. The top has a 4.5 rating out of 94 reviews, reports Essex Live.

A pleased shopper wrote: “Very nice top, it’s [true] to size and the shape is flattering. I had many compliments, recommended”

Another added: “It’s a beautiful top. Very versatile for so many occasions.”

A third said: “It’s a versatile top for day or evening wear with jeans, smart trousers or skirts. I love the ruched side as it hides any tummy.”

But some customers complained about the material quality: “Poor quality, the top constantly rides up. I’m very disappointed, it’s not worth it.”

Elsewhere, there’s the Checked Mesh Top from Marks and Spencer. Priced at £20, it’s available in black mix and grey mix.

It boasts a 4.5 rating based off 13 reviews. “It’s very easy to wear, stylish, slimming and can be dressed up or down,” one shopper said.

There’s also the £12.50 Mesh Long Sleeve Top from Tu. Featuring a crew neckline, it’s available in black abstract print and brown spot print.

It only has six reviews so far, but boasts a five-star rating: “A lovely top which has an underlayer so reduces any fear of transparency. The ruched effect is great and stylish.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our Be lifestyle newsletter for all the latest showbiz, fashion, beauty, family features and more.

After viewing the un-redacted documents, Massie and Khanna, who co-sponsored the law which compelled the release of the Epstein files last year, told reporters they had a list of about 20 people in which every name was redacted except for Epstein’s and his convicted sex trafficker associate Ghislaine Maxwell.