Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify Wednesday in a groundbreaking California trial examining whether Instagram and other social media platforms were intentionally designed to foster addiction among young users.
The case, brought by the family of 20-year-old Kaley G.M., alleges that Meta and Google-owned YouTube deliberately engineered features and algorithms that contributed to mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
Zuckerberg, 41, will appear before a Los Angeles jury to address the safety of his platforms directly for the first time in a courtroom setting. The trial, the first of several related cases this year, could set a legal precedent affecting thousands of lawsuits against major social media companies in the U.S.
During proceedings, jurors will examine the role of app design, personalization, and algorithmic features, as U.S. law largely shields platforms from liability over user-generated content. TikTok and Snapchat, also named in the lawsuit, reached confidential settlements prior to the trial.
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri previously testified, rejecting the term “social media addiction” in favour of “problematic use.” He defended Zuckerberg’s 2020 decision to allow cosmetic surgery filters on Instagram despite internal concerns about potential harm to young girls and pressure from competition with TikTok.
The plaintiff’s team also called psychiatrist Anna Lembke, who explained how social media can act as a “gateway” for addictive behaviors in developing brains.
The trial runs alongside a separate federal case in Oakland and occurs amid additional legal challenges, including a New Mexico case accusing Meta of prioritizing profits over child safety.
The outcome could influence the future design and regulation of social media platforms and the liability of tech companies for the mental health of minors.
