Lawsuits against Meta and YouTube accuse the platforms of damaging young users' mental health. Plaintiffs say these social media giants cause addiction leading to depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and even suicide. The lawsuits also involve Snap Inc and TikTok, but they settled earlier. Meta and YouTube's trial was delayed due to an attorney's illness. The companies deny the claims. A Google spokesperson said, “The allegations in these complaints are simply not true.” Meta added, “We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” TikTok and Snap did not comment. Experts note that calling social media "addictive" is controversial. Professor Ofir Turel said, “Everybody is saying, ‘I’m addicted,’ like it’s not a medical term.” Psychologist Dr Jessica Schleider explained that social media can harm but might be better termed "problematic use" since the science is still unclear. Plaintiffs say social media uses tricks like those in slot machines and cigarettes to keep users hooked. However, social media’s impact on mental health is complex. Schleider said, “The relationship between social media and mental health is complex and possibly bidirectional.” Poor mental health can also lead to more social media use. Meta reportedly tried to hide research showing taking breaks from Facebook eased depression and loneliness. Meta said this was due to placebo effect. The American Psychological Association criticized Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for misusing research to claim no harm. Brain studies find some social media effects resemble gambling behaviors. Gambling is a recognized addiction, but social media addiction is not officially defined. Turel compared the brain’s reward system and self-control system to a car’s accelerator and brakes. Addiction hits the accelerator hard and weakens the brakes. But social media does not cause permanent brain damage like some drug addictions. Withdrawal from social media causes mild distress, unlike severe symptoms from drug withdrawal. Turel said, “Let’s say you don’t have access to social media. You’re going to be agitated for a while, and that’s it.” Social media’s risks, like less social time or lost hobbies, differ from severe dangers posed by substance abuse. Experts and medical bodies suggest using “problematic use” to describe social media effects. They also stress the benefits of social media for connection and information. Still, many call for stronger regulation to protect young users, whose brains are still growing. Turel says this legal fight echoes early tobacco lawsuits before science proved smoking’s harms. He concludes, “Social media is much more than an addictive machine. It has many other issues, with fake news, with cyberbullying and body image. And we are becoming aware of them and trying to control them.”