Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended himself in court against accusations of misleading Congress regarding the design of the company’s social media platforms during a significant trial concerning youth social media addiction. The scrutiny focused on Zuckerberg’s statements made during a 2024 congressional hearing where he claimed that the company did not instruct its teams to prioritize increasing user engagement on its apps.
A lawyer representing a woman alleging that Meta caused harm to her mental health when she was young presented emails from 2014 and 2015 showing Zuckerberg’s objectives to boost app usage by significant percentages. In response, Zuckerberg acknowledged the company’s previous focus on increasing user time on the app but emphasized that their approach has since evolved.
During his court appearance, Zuckerberg firmly disagreed with any insinuation that his congressional testimony was inaccurate. This marked Zuckerberg’s first courtroom testimony regarding Instagram’s impact on young users’ mental health, elevating the importance of the trial’s outcome for Meta. The company could face financial penalties if found liable, potentially reshaping Big Tech’s legal defenses against claims of user harm.
The lawsuit is part of a broader global movement criticizing social media platforms for their impact on children’s mental health. Various countries, including Australia and parts of the U.S., have implemented restrictions on social media access for young users. The legal battle underscores the growing concern over the responsibilities of social media companies in safeguarding users, especially minors.
The case revolves around a California woman who alleges that Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube contributed to her mental health struggles during her youth. She contends that these platforms exploited children for financial gain despite being aware of the potential harms. Both Meta and Google have refuted these allegations, highlighting their efforts to enhance user safety and citing research that does not definitively link social media use to negative mental health outcomes among children.
This lawsuit sets a precedent for similar legal actions against major tech companies like Alphabet’s Google, Snap, and TikTok, as numerous parties accuse them of exacerbating youth mental health issues. Through internal documents and testimonies, it has been revealed that Meta was aware of potential risks associated with its platforms. The defense argues that the woman’s mental health challenges stem from personal struggles rather than social media use being the primary cause.
