Mark Zuckerberg downplays Meta's own research in New Mexico child safety trial
Source: Engadget
Testimony Overview
Jurors in a New Mexico child‑safety trial heard pre‑recorded testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. During the deposition, recorded last March, he was repeatedly asked about the company’s internal research on social‑media addiction and related issues. Zuckerberg downplayed the significance of many of the documents presented.
Key Documents Discussed
Feedback Effects on Facebook Users
Zuckerberg was shown a document stating that “contributors on Facebook are likely to learn to associate the act of posting with feedback,” which would “lead contributors to seek rewards by visiting the site more often.” He responded that he was “not sure if that’s actually how it works in practice, but I agree that you’re summarizing what they appear to be saying.”
Instagram Use Among Pre‑Teens
A chart showing the proportion of 11‑ and 12‑year‑olds who were monthly active Instagram users was presented. The graph indicated that about 20 percent of 11‑year‑olds were monthly users at the time. Zuckerberg said, “I agree that the graph says that, I am not familiar with what methodology we were using to estimate this… I assume that if we had direct knowledge that any given person was under the age of 13, that we would have them removed from our services.”
Net Effect of Facebook on Well‑Being
Zuckerberg was asked about a researcher’s note that “there is increasing scientific evidence, particularly in the US, … that the average net effect of Facebook on people’s well‑being is slightly negative.” He replied, “my understanding is that the general consensus view is not that.”
Legal Context
New Mexico’s attorney general sued Meta in 2023 for alleged lapses in child safety, including facilitating predators’ access to minors and building features it knew were addictive. In court, Meta’s lawyers and executives have disputed the idea that social media should be considered an “addiction.” The company has publicly claimed that lawsuits rely on “cherry‑picked quotes and snippets of conversations taken out of context” and that it “has consistently put teen safety ahead of growth for over a decade.”
- Meta faces another lawsuit over child safety (2023)
- Meta disputes the notion of social‑media addiction
Zuckerberg’s testimony followed recorded testimony from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. He was also questioned about Frances Haugen’s disclosures and Meta’s response, noting that “most research is surveys. We run hundreds of surveys every month.”
Previous Similar Strategies
Meta has employed a comparable approach in the past. After whistleblower Frances Haugen released internal documents in 2021 showing that Instagram could negatively affect teen girls’ self‑image, the company downplayed the findings.
- Facebook/Instagram mental‑health Senate hearing (2021)
- Research indicating Instagram made some teen girls feel worse
Additional Context
Zuckerberg’s recent testimony in a separate Los Angeles trial on social‑media addiction also featured repeated rejection of the “characterization” of the questions posed to him. He emphasized that Meta’s goal is to make its apps “useful” rather than to increase the amount of time people spend on them.