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Zuckerberg Testifies in LA Bellwether Trial Over Youth Social Media Addiction Claims

The proceedings could set precedent for thousands of related suits over platform design.

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives for a landmark trial over whether social media platforms deliberately addict and harm children, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Families staged art installation of illuminated smartphone statues featuring 50 children whose parents say they died from social media harms, in a park one block from the Los Angeles Superior courthouse.

Overview

  • Mark Zuckerberg testified before a Los Angeles jury, acknowledging under‑13 users sometimes lie about their age and saying Meta removes them when detected.
  • On internal metrics, he confirmed past “time spent” targets and said he wishes safeguards for young users had arrived sooner.
  • The case, brought by a 20‑year‑old identified as K.G.M., alleges early Instagram and YouTube use caused addiction, depression and suicidal thoughts.
  • Meta and Google dispute causation, pointing to safety tools and other life factors, after TikTok and Snap settled out of the suit.
  • As a bellwether, the trial could influence thousands of similar cases and, legal experts say, test the limits of Section 230 liability; a related New Mexico case against Meta is also underway.