Zuckerberg To Testify In Landmark Social Media Trial

Los Angeles (Web Desk) – Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify in a groundbreaking California trial addressing allegations that Instagram and other social media platforms were deliberately designed to make young users addicted. The case is the first in a series of lawsuits by American families claiming major tech companies contributed to a surge in mental health issues among youth.

The trial centers on 20-year-old plaintiff Kaley G.M., who has been a heavy user of social media since childhood, starting with YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at 11, later adding TikTok and Snapchat. Lawyers allege that Google-owned YouTube and Meta’s Instagram were intentionally engineered to encourage compulsive use, causing depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other psychological harms.

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Instagram chief Adam Mosseri previously testified, rejecting the term “addiction” in favor of “problematic use,” while defending the controversial introduction of cosmetic surgery filters on Instagram despite internal warnings about their impact on young girls. Mothers of teens who died by suicide have been attending the trial, highlighting the human stakes behind the case.

TikTok and Snapchat, also named in the complaint, reached confidential settlements prior to the trial. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan was scheduled to testify, though a different YouTube executive may now appear on behalf of the company.

The proceedings, which focus on platform design and algorithmic features rather than user-generated content, could set legal precedents affecting thousands of similar lawsuits nationwide. Parallel cases are underway in Oakland, California, and New Mexico, where Meta faces allegations of prioritizing profits over protecting minors from online predators.

The trial, running into late March, is being closely watched as a potential landmark in holding social media companies accountable for youth mental health.