Zuckerberg Faces Jury in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies in Los Angeles amid claims Instagram and other platforms were designed to addict young users.

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg appeared before a Los Angeles jury on Wednesday in a landmark civil trial. He defended his company against claims that Meta’s social media products were engineered to be addictive for children and teens.

The lawsuit centers on a 20-year-old woman, known by her initials KGM, who says her mental health was harmed by early use of Instagram and YouTube. She alleges the companies intentionally designed addictive features that worsened her depression and anxiety.

Zuckerberg’s testimony marks his first time defending Meta in a jury trial related to youth social media use. The case could set a major precedent for similar lawsuits across the United States.

Lawyers for the plaintiff argue that platforms like Instagram and YouTube acted like “digital slot machines” to hook young users. They presented internal documents suggesting Meta executives once discussed increasing screen time and teen engagement as key goals.

Zuckerberg pushed back on these claims in court. He said Meta no longer sets goals for maximizing time spent on its apps and disputes the idea that its platforms were designed to addict users.

The Meta CEO also rejected suggestions that he misled Congress about these design goals during previous testimony. He said that while older internal documents reference engagement, they do not reflect company policy today.

Plaintiff’s lawyers pressed Zuckerberg about under-13 users on Instagram. They argued that Meta failed to enforce its own age restrictions effectively, allowing young children to access the platform.

Zuckerberg acknowledged that some users lie about their age to access Instagram. He said Meta has tools to detect underage users and removes accounts when identified, but said enforcement is “very difficult” in practice.

He also expressed regret that the company did not progress faster in verifying age, saying “I always wish we could have gotten there sooner.”

The trial has touched on internal Meta decisions about features such as beauty filters. Prosecutors cited evidence that some Meta employees and external experts warned these effects could harm young users’ self-image.

Zuckerberg testified that Meta consulted stakeholders on filter use but prioritized free expression. He did not accept that offering such features equated to knowingly harming users.

The court heard arguments from both sides about whether these design choices reflect poor judgment or negligent disregard for youth safety.

The lawsuit is one of a handful of bellwether cases that could influence thousands of similar claims. Families, states, and school districts have filed suits against major social media companies, including Meta, Google, Snap and TikTok.

Snap and TikTok already settled similar claims before trial, leaving Meta and Google’s YouTube as remaining defendants in this case.

Meta’s legal team argues that the plaintiff’s personal struggles predated social media use and that broader issues, such as family and life circumstances, significantly shaped her mental health.

Legal experts say this trial could become a turning point for how courts treat product design liability in tech. Unlike many earlier tech cases, this one focuses not on content but on whether platforms intentionally harm users by design.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers liken social media’s role to past litigation against tobacco companies, arguing that industry decisions contributed to widespread harm. Meta, meanwhile, insists it has invested in safety tools and training, and does not design platforms to exploit vulnerabilities.

Parents, advocates and other plaintiffs are closely watching the proceedings. Some hope the case will push tech firms to improve safety standards, especially for children and teens.