Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies in teen safety trial

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in LA Superior Court on Wednesday to testify in a trial addressing allegations that the company’s social media applications are addictive and harmful to teens and kids. The legal proceeding stems from a lawsuit brought by KGM, a 20-year-old plaintiff also known as Kaley, who sued four social media companies over what she alleges is the harmful and addictive nature of their platforms. While TikTok and Snap settled their respective cases before the trial began, Meta and YouTube, which is also a defendant in the trial, are defending their applications in court.

Evidence presented during the trial highlighted internal debates and data from within Meta. A 2015 email chain presented as evidence in the trial showed Zuckerberg pushing to increase users’ time spent in app by 12%. This internal focus on engagement contrasted with warnings from Meta’s own experts, who indicated that Instagram’s use of beauty filters—which are augmented reality features on social media apps—should be banned when it comes to teens. In addition, a 2018 Meta document revealed that, as of 2015, 4 million children under 13 had Instagram accounts, which included roughly 30% of children aged 10-12 in the U.S. The trial also revealed that Meta’s own research indicated that parental supervision could not prevent teens from compulsive use of social media, and that teens who faced traumatic life experiences were even more inclined to overuse social media.

Zuckerberg defended the company during his testimony on Wednesday, asserting that age verification—the process of confirming a user’s age—is difficult. He stated that smartphone makers like Apple could be more helpful on this front. Meanwhile, Meta’s legal team sought to focus on the plaintiff’s personal history rather than the impact of the software. During the trial, lawyers for Meta argued that Kaley’s unhappy childhood led to her mental health concerns, rather than her use of the social applications.

Why it matters

The outcome of this trial by jury could force significant reforms in how social media companies operate, potentially prompting new laws and regulations in the U.S. If the tech companies are found to be at fault, the case could also lead to a settlement with victims and establish new legal precedents for the tech industry.