Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced the courtroom on Wednesday in a high-profile trial that could redefine how social media platforms impact teens and children. The LA Superior Court case dives into whether Meta’s apps, including Instagram, foster addictive behavior and harm young users. Internal research revealed that parental supervision often failed to curb compulsive social media use, and teens who experienced trauma were even more likely to overuse the apps.
Plaintiff lawyers representing 20-year-old KGM grilled Zuckerberg over whether Instagram employees received directives to boost daily usage. Earlier, the CEO had told Congress that Meta never set these goals. Yet, a 2015 internal email chain surfaced during the trial, showing Zuckerberg urging staff to increase users’ time in the app by 12%.
Zuckerberg also faced questions on Instagram’s beauty filters, which internal Meta reports recommended banning for teens, and on company estimates of underage users. A 2018 document revealed that by 2015, Instagram had 4 million accounts for children under 13, including roughly 30% of U.S. kids aged 10–12. Zuckerberg pushed back, citing challenges in age verification and pointing to smartphone makers like Apple as potential partners in enforcing stricter controls. (Apple recently introduced age-assurance tools for developers amid rising U.S. regulations on social media apps.)
Courtroom observers noted that Zuckerberg largely stuck to Meta’s talking points, often claiming that lawyers misrepresented documents or took statements out of context.
Kaley, who goes by KGM, filed lawsuits against four major social media companies, alleging that their platforms caused harm and fostered addiction. TikTok and Snap settled before the trial, while YouTube and Meta defended the safety and success of their apps. Meta’s lawyers argued that Kaley’s difficult childhood, not social media, contributed to her mental health struggles.
The jury’s verdict could spark sweeping changes in the tech world, inspire new laws and regulations, and potentially lead to settlements for affected users if the court rules against these social media giants.
