Zuckerberg testifies amid claims Instagram fuels teen addiction

Mark Zuckerberg was grilled in court over social media addiction and its potential impact on children and teens as he testified in a landmark trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

The Meta CEO appeared in a lawsuit brought by a young woman identified only as "Kaley" (K.G.M. in court documents), who alleges she became addicted to platforms including Instagram and YouTube, leading to mental health struggles. If successful, the suit could cost major tech companies billions in damages and force sweeping changes to platform operations.

During his testimony, Zuckerberg, 41, denied that Instagram’s algorithm is intentionally addictive for young users. 

“I’m focused on building a community that is sustainable,” he said. “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 maximize the amount of time people spend every month.”

When plaintiff’s attorney Mark Lanier pressed him about the app’s allegedly addictive qualities, Zuckerberg shut down further questioning. “I’m not sure what to say to that,” he said. “I don’t think that applies here.”

Lanier also asked whether companies should “prey upon” individuals from difficult backgrounds or with fewer educational opportunities. Zuckerberg responded, “I think a reasonable company should try to help the people who use its services.”

The lawsuit also names YouTube, though the platform maintains it is not a social media company. Both Meta and YouTube argue they are protected under federal law from liability for content posted by users. 

However, the plaintiffs’ legal strategy draws comparisons to Big Tobacco lawsuits, citing internal documents and statements suggesting the platforms knowingly reinforced addictive behaviors.

Lanier highlighted that Kaley began using Instagram at age 9, prior to the platform’s 2019 implementation of a birthdate verification rule to prevent users under 13 from joining. 

Zuckerberg said the company considered privacy concerns and believes it implemented the correct policy.

Parents of children allegedly harmed or killed due to social media use also attended the trial, underscoring the case’s high stakes. Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, has faced ongoing criticism for alleged contributions to child and teen mental health crises, as well as prior lawsuits linked to child sexual exploitation on its platforms.

In a Feb. 11 statement addressing the allegations, Meta said, “The question for the jury in Los Angeles is whether Instagram was a substantial factor in the plaintiff’s mental health struggles. The evidence will show she faced many significant, difficult challenges well before she ever used social media.”