Zuckerberg grilled in court over social media harms on teens
Source: TechCrunch
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in court on Wednesday in a landmark trial aiming to determine if the tech giant’s social‑media applications are addictive and harmful to teens and kids. The trial, taking place in L.A. Superior Court, already revealed that Meta’s own research indicated that parental supervision couldn’t prevent teens from compulsive use of social media, and teens who faced traumatic life experiences were even more inclined to overuse social media【https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/17/metas-own-research-found-parental-supervision-doesnt-really-help-curb-teens-compulsive-social-media-use/】.
Trial Overview
Lawyers for the plaintiff, a 20‑year‑old who goes by her initials KGM, sued four social‑media companies over what she alleges is the harmful and addictive nature of their platforms. TikTok and Snap settled before the trial began, with YouTube and Meta defending their apps’ success. The results of this trial by jury could lead to big‑tech reforms, new laws and regulations, and potentially a settlement with victims if the companies are found at fault.
Zuckerberg’s Testimony
Questions about Instagram usage goals
Plaintiff’s lawyers questioned Zuckerberg about whether Instagram employees were given goals to increase daily app usage. Zuckerberg had previously told Congress that this was not the case, but a 2015 email chain presented as evidence showed him pushing to increase users’ time spent in the app by 12%【https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/meta-mark-zuckerberg-social-media-trial-0e9a7fa0】.
Beauty filters and under‑13 users
Zuckerberg was also asked about Instagram’s use of beauty filters, which Meta’s own experts said should be banned for teens, as well as internal documents estimating how many children under 13 were on the platform. A 2018 Meta document stated that, as of 2015, 4 million children under 13 had Instagram accounts, including roughly 30 % of children aged 10‑12 in the U.S.【https://www.courthousenews.com/meta-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-grilled-during-landmark-social-media-addiction-trial/】. He pushed back, saying age verification was difficult and that smartphone makers like Apple could be more helpful. Apple recently rolled out its own age‑assurance tools for developers【https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/27/apple-introduces-new-child-safety-initiatives-including-an-age-checking-system-for-apps/】 amid growing regulatory pressure.
Evidence Presented
Meta’s own research on teen usage
Meta’s internal research found that parental supervision does not effectively curb compulsive social‑media use among teens, and that traumatic life experiences increase the likelihood of overuse【https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/17/metas-own-research-found-parental-supervision-doesnt-really-help-curb-teens-compulsive-social-media-use/】.
Email chain about increasing user time
A 2015 email chain showed Zuckerberg urging a 12 % increase in the amount of time users spend in the app【https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/meta-mark-zuckerberg-social-media-trial-0e9a7fa0】.
2018 document on under‑13 accounts
The 2018 internal memo revealed that 4 million children under 13 were on Instagram as of 2015, with a significant share of 10‑12‑year‑olds in the United States【https://www.courthousenews.com/meta-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-grilled-during-landmark-social-media-addiction-trial/】.
Legal and Regulatory Context
Plaintiff background
The plaintiff, KGM (also known as Kaley), alleges that the platforms are harmful and addictive. Lawyers for Meta have pointed to Kaley’s unhappy childhood as a factor leading to her mental‑health concerns, rather than the social apps themselves.
Potential outcomes
If the jury finds the tech companies at fault, the decision could trigger major reforms for big tech, inspire new legislation across states, and result in settlements for victims. Reports from the courtroom noted that Zuckerberg largely stuck to the company’s talking points, sometimes claiming the plaintiff’s lawyers were taking things out of context【https://apnews.com/article/mark-zuckerberg-trial-testimony-instagram-c8cbaa32ccbf4933ec3a7beebd6cf34b】 or mischaracterizing what documents said【https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/18/meta-mark-zuckerberg-safety-trial.html】.