Arguments to begin in key US social media addiction trial

Arguments are set to begin Monday in a landmark US trial that could establish a legal precedent on whether social media companies deliberately designed their platforms to lead to addiction in children.

The case in Los Angeles Superior Court is being seen as a bellwether proceeding because its outcome could set the tone for a tidal wave of similar litigation across the United States.

Defendants at the trial are Alphabet and Meta, the tech giants behind YouTube and Instagram.