Zuckerberg Takes Stand in Social Media Addiction Trial
For the first time, Meta’s CEO had to answer to a jury about what his apps do to real people.
This week, the CEO of one of the most powerful companies on the planet sat in a courtroom and had to answer for what his apps did to a real person.
Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in Los Angeles in a landmark trial that could reshape how social media companies are held accountable. A young woman named Kaley sued Meta, YouTube, Snap, and TikTok, claiming she signed up for Instagram at age 9 — four years before the app even asked users for their birthday — and that her compulsive use of the platform led to body dysmorphia, anxiety, and depression. Snap and TikTok already settled. Meta and YouTube are still fighting it.
What came out in court is hard to ignore. Internal documents showed that back in 2015, roughly 4 million kids under 13 were on Instagram despite a minimum age policy. Other documents showed Zuckerberg himself had set a goal of increasing the time teenagers spent on his apps. His response on the stand? Those documents were old, taken out of context, or mischaracterizing what he meant.
This isn’t just one person’s story. There are over 1,600 similar lawsuits in the pipeline.
My take: The apps on your phone were designed to keep you on them as long as possible. This trial is the first time that design choice is being argued in front of a jury — and the outcome could affect every platform you use.
If the apps you use every day were engineered to be addictive, should the companies behind them be held responsible — the same way tobacco companies were?
Stay informed on the tech stories that affect your everyday life. Subscribe to Safe Online Futures on Substack.
