Mark Zuckerberg testifies in social media addiction trial that Meta just wants Instagram to be 'useful'

Source: Engadget

Testimony Overview

Mark Zuckerberg took the stand Wednesday in a high‑profile jury trial over social media addiction. Described by NBC News as “combative,” the Facebook founder said Meta’s goal was to make Instagram “useful,” not to increase the time users spend in the app.

Company Document

Zuckerberg was questioned about an internal document that listed improving engagement among “company goals,” according to CNBC. He responded that Meta had “made the conscious decision to move away from those goals, focusing instead on utility.”

“If something is valuable, people will use it more because it’s useful to them,” he said. (Associated Press)

Lawsuit Background

The trial stems from a lawsuit filed by a California woman identified as “KGM” in court documents. The now 20‑year‑old alleges she was harmed as a child by addictive features in Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok. TikTok and Snap settled before the case went to trial.

Zuckerberg’s Past Statements

Zuckerberg was also asked about previous public remarks, including his comments on Joe Rogan’s podcast last year that he can’t be fired by Meta’s board because he controls a majority of the voting power. According to The New York Times, he accused the plaintiffs’ lawyer of “mischaracterizing” his past comments more than a dozen times.

Courtroom Recording Concerns

During the proceedings, the judge warned against recording the trial using AI glasses. CNBC reported that members of Zuckerberg’s entourage were seen wearing Meta’s smart glasses as he entered the courthouse. Legal affairs journalist Meghann Cuniff noted the judge’s particular concern about the possibility of jurors being recorded or subjected to facial recognition. (Meta’s smart glasses do not currently have native facial recognition capabilities, though the company is reportedly considering adding such features.)

Broader Context

The Los Angeles trial has drawn attention not only because it marked a rare in‑court appearance for Zuckerberg but also as part of a series of cases alleging that Meta’s platforms have harmed children. In this case and in a separate proceeding in New Mexico, Meta’s lawyers have challenged the notion that social media should be considered a real addiction. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri previously testified in the same Los Angeles trial that Instagram isn’t “clinically addictive.”

Original article: Engadget