Mark Zuckerberg Grilled During Social Media Trial

Mark Zuckerberg Entering L-A Courtroom

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand Wednesday in a Los Angeles courtroom, facing intense questioning from plaintiffs' lawyers in a high-stakes civil trial that accuses social media giants of deliberately engineering addictive platforms that have fueled a widespread teen mental health crisis.

The case, often likened by experts and plaintiffs' attorneys to the tobacco industry's "Big Tobacco" reckoning of the 1990s, centers on claims that Meta (owner of Instagram and Facebook) and other companies like Google's YouTube knowingly designed features, such as infinite scrolling, recommendation algorithms, and engagement-maximizing tools, to hook young users, treating them like "digital casinos" and prioritizing profit over safety. 

This could mark a pivotal "Big Tobacco" moment for the social media industry, potentially establishing major legal precedents for corporate liability related to product design, youth protection, and internal decision-making on harmful elements like beauty filters or underage access.

The trial, which began earlier this month in Los Angeles County Superior Court, is considered a bellwether for thousands of similar lawsuits filed by minors, parents, school districts, and state attorneys general. It focuses on allegations that these platforms are defective and harmful products, sidestepping traditional Section 230 protections by targeting design choices rather than user-generated content.

At the heart of the current case is a now-20-year-old plaintiff, referred to in court documents as "Kaley" or "K.G.M." (or similar anonymized identifiers), and her mother. They allege that her exposure to Instagram and YouTube starting as a young child—sometimes for hours or even over 16 hours in a single day—led to severe issues including anxiety, body dysmorphia, depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, bullying, and sextortion. 

Plaintiffs argue internal company documents and research show executives were aware of these risks but continued to pursue addictive designs to boost user time and revenue.

During his testimony, Zuckerberg pushed back firmly against accusations of intentional addiction. He stated that Meta does not aim to make platforms addictive for younger users, emphasizing efforts to build sustainable communities and implement safety features. He noted that children under 13 have never been officially allowed on Instagram and expressed regret that stronger age-verification measures weren't implemented sooner, while defending the company's overall approach to youth safety as reasonable. 

He also denied misleading lawmakers about shifting away from maximizing screen time.

Zuckerberg’s appearance marks a rare direct courtroom defense by the Meta leader amid a wave of related litigation this year. Other defendants like TikTok and Snap have settled out of court in some instances, leaving Meta and Google (YouTube) to face the jury. The trial, expected to last several weeks, includes testimony from other executives like Instagram head Adam Mosseri and could reveal more internal documents highlighting tensions between growth goals and child well-being.

A plaintiff victory might force sweeping changes to platform features, increase accountability for youth-targeted designs, and open the door to massive damages or settlements across hundreds of pending cases—potentially reshaping how social media companies operate and prioritize teen mental health safeguards. Meta has consistently denied the core allegations, pointing to its investments in safety tools, research, and parental controls while arguing that broader factors contribute to youth mental health challenges.