YouTube Plays the 'We're Netflix' Card in Addiction Lawsuit
Google's video giant tries to dodge social media addiction claims by calling itself an entertainment platform.
YouTube has a new legal defense strategy: pretend it's not social media.
In opening statements for a social media addiction trial in Los Angeles, the Google-owned platform argued it should be classified as an entertainment service — more Netflix than Facebook. The distinction matters because the lawsuit targets social media companies specifically, claiming they deliberately design addictive products that harm users.
It's a clever pivot. If YouTube is just another streaming service serving up videos, it potentially sidesteps the core allegations about social network manipulation tactics.
The trial puts Big Tech's design choices under the microscope. Plaintiffs argue these platforms are engineered to hook users, causing real psychological damage. YouTube's Netflix comparison is essentially saying: we're just TV with a comment section.
Whether the court buys this rebranding exercise remains to be seen.