Zuckerberg Testifies in Landmark Trial Over Youth Social Media Harm
Zuckerberg testified in Los Angeles over claims Meta designed Instagram to addict young users, in a bellwether case drawn from more than 1,600 plaintiffs.
Overview
Mark Zuckerberg testified on Wednesday in Los Angeles and was questioned about Meta's efforts to increase Instagram users' time and whether children under 13 accessed the platform, according to court proceedings.
The trial is a bellwether drawn from more than 1,600 plaintiffs and could shape how thousands of similar lawsuits over alleged addictive design for children proceed.
Plaintiffs' lawyer Mark Lanier pressed Zuckerberg with a 2015 email about boosting time spent, and bereaved parents attended the hearings, attorneys and courtroom observers said.
K.G.M.'s suit is one of about 20 'bellwether' cases, and more than 350 families and over 250 school districts are among the plaintiffs, court filings show.
The trial is expected to last several weeks, will include testimony from former Meta employees, and could prompt operational changes and large payouts, lawyers and experts said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources foreground harms by using loaded terms (addictive, hooked) and evocative details (bereaved parents, security entourage), emphasize plaintiffs' momentum (settlements, thousands of similar suits, policy moves abroad), and frame Meta's rebuttals as source content rather than editorial parity, nudging readers toward the plaintiffs' narrative.
Sources (13)
FAQ
The bellwether trial is one of about 20 cases selected from over 1,600 plaintiffs alleging Meta designed Instagram to addict young users, potentially shaping thousands of similar lawsuits on addictive design for children.
Zuckerberg was questioned about Meta's efforts to increase Instagram users' time spent on the platform, including a 2015 email on boosting engagement, and whether children under 13 accessed Instagram.
Plaintiffs include over 350 families, more than 250 school districts, bereaved parents, and more than 30 U.S. states claiming harm to children and teens from addictive features causing mental health issues like addiction, anxiety, depression, and self-harm.
The trial, expected to last several weeks with testimony from former Meta employees, could lead to operational changes at Meta, large payouts, and influence how thousands of similar social media addiction lawsuits proceed.
History
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