Hajra Naz
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in court on Wednesday. The major trial could decide whether the company’s social media apps are addictive and harmful to teenagers and children.
The case is being heard in Los Angeles County Superior Court. So far, the trial has revealed findings from Meta’s internal research. The research showed that even strong parental supervision could not always stop teens from overusing social media. It also found that teens who experienced trauma were more likely to become heavy users.
Lawyers representing a 20-year-old woman, identified as KGM, questioned Zuckerberg in court. They asked whether Instagram employees were given targets to increase the amount of time users spent on the app each day.
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In an earlier congressional hearing, Zuckerberg had said this was not the company’s goal. However, during this trial, lawyers presented a 2015 email in which Zuckerberg encouraged increasing users’ time spent on the app by 12%.
Zuckerberg was also asked about Instagram’s beauty filters. Meta’s own experts had suggested these filters should not be available to teen users because of possible mental health risks. Lawyers also brought up internal company documents estimating how many children under 13 were using Instagram.
One document from 2018 stated that, as of 2015, around 4 million children under 13 had Instagram accounts. It is also estimated that about 30% of U.S. children aged 10–12 were on the platform at that time.
In response, Zuckerberg said age verification is difficult. He argued that smartphone companies such as Apple Inc. could do more to help with age checks. Recently, Apple introduced new-age assurance tools for developers as more U.S. states move to regulate social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Reports from the courtroom said Zuckerberg largely repeated Meta’s official talking points during his testimony. At times, he claimed that the plaintiff’s lawyers were taking documents out of context or misrepresenting company records.
The plaintiff, KGM (Kaley), filed lawsuits against four social media companies, claiming their platforms are harmful and addictive. Before the trial began, TikTok and Snap Inc. reached settlements. YouTube and Meta chose to defend their platforms in court.
During the trial, Meta’s lawyers argued that Kaley’s difficult childhood, not social media, caused her mental health struggles.
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The jury’s decision could have major consequences. If the companies are found responsible, the case could lead to new laws, stricter tech regulations, and financial compensation for victims. It could also push the tech industry toward significant reforms in how social media platforms are designed and managed.
