Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced tough questioning in the Los Angeles courtroom this week during the landmark trial over whether social media platforms were deliberately designed to be addictive and harmful to young users. As reported by NBC News, Zuckerberg was pressed about an internal Instagram presentation which discussed strategies to attract teenagers on the platform. Lawyers asked Zuckerberg whether Meta wanted people to be addicted to its platforms, responding to the question, Zuckerberg said, “I’m focused on building a community that is sustainable. If you do something that’s not good for people, maybe they’ll spend more time [on Instagram] short term, but if they’re not happy with it, they’re not going to use it over time. I’m not trying to maximise the amount of time people spend every month.”When asked if people tend to use something more if it’s addictive, Zuckerberg shut down the line of questioning, “I’m not sure what to say to that. I don’t think that applies here.”

Background of the social media trial

For the uninitiated, the case is the first of a consolidated group of lawsuits involving more than 1,600 plaintiffs, which include families and school districts accusing the social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Snap of knowingly designing addictive products that harm the mental health of children. Platforms like TikTok and Snap have already reached settlements with the first plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman identified as K.G.M, who claims her early social media use worsened her mental health.

Underage users on Instagram

The lawyers also questioned whether Meta adequately prevents under-13 users from joining Instagram. As the documents presented before the court revealed that nearly 4 million children under the age of 13 are using the platform in the US. Replying to the question, Meta CEO admitted that some users lie about their age but he also said that Meta removes underage accounts when identified and Instagram only began requiring birthdays at sign‑up in late 2019.

Families seek accountability from Meta

Matt Bergman, founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, said that Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony was “a moment that families across this country have been waiting for,” emphasising that parents deserve accountability from executives who prioritised growth over child safety. Outside the courthouse, grieving parents expressed frustration, saying Zuckerberg’s remarks offered little comfort.