Zuckerberg testifies in landmark U.S. trial over social media addiction

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Meta, testified Wednesday in a landmark trial in California examining whether major social media platforms deliberately designed their services to create addiction among young users.

The 41-year-old executive, who leads Meta's portfolio of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is the most anticipated witness in the proceeding. Plaintiffs' legal representatives called him to testify in a case brought by an author who alleges that Instagram and other platforms were deliberately engineered to make young users dependent.

This marks the first time Zuckerberg has faced a jury directly in an ordinary court proceeding to answer allegations concerning the safety of minors on his platforms. While he has previously testified before the U.S. Congress, this trial represents a distinct legal setting focused on civil liability rather than legislative oversight.

The trial, underway in Los Angeles, centers on claims of psychological harm and addiction caused by algorithms used on platforms including Facebook and Instagram. Jurors are scheduled to hear testimony through the end of March before deciding whether YouTube, owned by Google, and Instagram bear responsibility for the alleged harms.

The case is considered a potential watershed legal precedent. If successful, it could establish legal grounds for thousands of lawsuits filed by American families against major social media platforms. The trial examines whether the platforms knowingly prioritized profit maximization over protections for minors' mental health.