addiction

Feb. 18 (UPI) — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify Wednesday in a trial that will decide if his social media platforms and YouTube intentionally harmed children and teens.

The lawsuit in Los Angeles was filed by a 20-year-old woman called KGM in the suit and her mother, Karen Glenn, who claim the platforms damaged her mental health as a child. It’s the first in a group of lawsuits brought by 1,600 parents, teens and school districts who allege that when teens are addicted to the platforms, they suffer from depression, self-harm, eating disorders and more.

KGM, also known as Kaley in the suit, began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at 9, said her lawyer, Mark Lanier. Despite her mother’s efforts to mitigate her social media use, Kaley sometimes used Instagram for “several hours a day.” The app’s addictive features led her to develop anxiety, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts, she alleges. She was also the victim of bullying and sextortion.

A Meta spokesperson said the company strongly disagrees with the allegations.

“The question for the jury in Los Angeles is whether Instagram was a substantial factor in the plaintiff’s mental health struggles,” CNN reported a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. “The evidence will show she faced many significant, difficult challenges well before she ever used social media.”

The company said it is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”

Plaintiffs’ lawyers in the cases say internal documents at the companies stress the goal of making apps difficult to put down like infinite scroll, auto-play, likes, beauty filters and push notifications.

“These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children,” lawyer Mark Lanier said in his opening statements, NPR reported. “And they did it on purpose.”

The trial is in state court, which means there only needs to be nine of the 12 jurors in agreement. If Kaley and her mother win, it could lead to settlements in the other cases.

For Ant McPartlin, beloved dog Hurley was never just a pet.

The chocolate Labrador became his rock through addiction battles, rehab and a painfully public divorce.

Earlier this week, Ant and ex-wife Lisa Armstrong faced the heart-breaking decision to say goodbye.

After vets told them their 12-year-old dog was too poorly to recover, they made the agonising call to put him to sleep.

Ant, 50, and Strictly Come Dancing make-up boss Lisa, 49, were both able to see him beforehand, with the TV star staying by Hurley’s side in his final moments.

KING OF THEIR HEARTS

The couple adopted Hurley in 2013 after struggling to have children and had doted on him ever since.

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REST IN PEACE, PET

Agony for Ant & ex-wife as beloved dog dies after bitter custody battle

When their marriage broke down in 2018, custody of the dog became one of the most emotional flash points of their split.

During their £30million break-up, Ant was said to have told Lisa she could take “anything but Hurley”.

At the time, the TV star said: “Hurley’s welfare comes first and we both love him very much. That’s the way it is really.”

They eventually agreed to share care of the pup, with Hurley dividing his time between their homes.

Hurley also enjoyed regular trips to the groomers and spent a holiday with Ant and his family last summer.

The Labrador even became a celebrity in his own right.

Speaking in 2019, Ant said: “I came out of a shop the other day and there was a woman on the floor cuddling Hurley.

“She said to me, ‘It’s the dog from the papers!’ Hurley’s a celebrity.”

Ant even named one of his companies Hurley Promotions Ltd – a nod to his ‘surrogate son’.

SUPPORT HOUND

Friends have long said Hurley was a lifeline during Ant’s darkest days of drink and drug addiction, visiting him in rehab and helping him rebuild routine once he returned home.

Speaking about their bond, Ant said: “There’s a loyalty and a love and a companionship with Hurley that you can’t describe. He never tells me off and is always pleased to see me.”

Even after finding happiness again with wife Anne-Marie Corbett, Hurley remained firmly part of the family.

In May 2024, when Ant and Anne-Marie welcomed their son Wilder, fans noticed his new “family tree” tattoo and questioned why Hurley wasn’t included.

Ant quickly reassured them on X, writing: “For all you dog lovers who asked why my beloved Hurley wasn’t on the family tree… he was!! He was just covered by our newborn.”

The photo had simply obscured Hurley’s name beneath the baby’s proof that the Labrador would always be family.