Zuckerberg Testifies in Landmark Trial on Social Media’s Impact on Youth
Meta CEO faces questions about Instagram’s under-13 users and addictive design features as first-of-its-kind case examines tech giants’ responsibility for teen mental health
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced questioning in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday about Instagram’s under-13 users and Meta’s efforts to boost engagement, as a trial examines whether the company knowingly offered an addictive and harmful product to children and teens.
The landmark trial against Meta and YouTube kicked off in late January. It centers on allegations brought by a plaintiff identified as “KGM,” who claims that using social media from a young age caused her to become addicted and harmed her mental health.
Zuckerberg’s First Jury Defense
In the courtroom on Wednesday, Zuckerberg faced questions from KGM’s lawyer Mark Lanier over Meta’s policy for allowing children under 13 to access Instagram.
Zuckerberg said users under 13 are not allowed on the platform but added that it is a difficult rule to enforce because there are “a meaningful number of people who lie about their age to use our services.”
Lanier also pressed Zuckerberg about whether one of the company’s goals is to increase the time users spend on Instagram. Zuckerberg said Meta uses time spent on the app as a proxy to measure its performance against competitors like TikTok.
Zuckerberg also addressed Instagram’s beauty filters, which Meta temporarily shut down after concerns surfaced that they changed people’s appearance in a way that seemed to promote plastic surgery. Zuckerberg said the company decided to allow beauty filters in support of free expression, but said that “we shouldn’t create them ourselves or recommend them.”
This marks the first time Zuckerberg is defending his company before a jury, although he has previously testified before Congress regarding youth safety on Meta’s platforms.
Trial Carries Implications for Similar Cases
The outcome of the lawsuit could shape how thousands of similar cases brought against social media giants play out. TikTok and Snapchat were originally part of the lawsuit, but they settled before the trial started.
Some experts have drawn comparisons between the social media trial and the tobacco industry lawsuits of the 1990s, which sought to hold companies accountable for their products and how they were marketed.
— Melodi Dinçer, UCLA law professor and tech justice attorney
Meta and Google Deny Allegations
Prior to Zuckerberg’s testimony, Meta told CBS News that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and that it is committed to supporting young people who use its platforms. The company also claims that KGM faced mental health struggles before she used social media.
A spokesperson from Google, the parent company of YouTube, also denied the allegations, calling them “simply not true.”
Instagram CEO’s Earlier Testimony
Zuckerberg’s appearance in the LA courtroom follows that of Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, who testified in the trial last week. While on the stand, Mosseri said he does not believe people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms, instead referring to what he calls “problematic use,” when people spend more time on Instagram than they feel good about.
KGM begins using Instagram at age 9, violating the platform’s minimum age requirement of 13.
Concerns about Instagram’s beauty filters emerge; Meta temporarily shuts them down before allowing them again with restrictions.
Landmark trial against Meta and YouTube begins in Los Angeles, with KGM as plaintiff alleging social media addiction and mental health harm.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri testifies, denying clinical addiction but acknowledging “problematic use.”
Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a jury for the first time, facing questions about age verification, user engagement metrics, and beauty filters.
The trial’s outcome could set legal precedents affecting thousands of pending cases against social media companies. If the jury finds Meta and YouTube liable, it could force the tech industry to fundamentally rethink how platforms are designed and marketed to young users. Comparisons to tobacco litigation suggest this could be a watershed moment for tech accountability.
Sources: CBS News, courtroom testimony, UCLA Law School
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