Zuckerberg takes stand in social media trial as jury hears that he’s trained on how to avoid being ‘fake, robotic and corporate’
The Meta CEO told the courtroom he is ‘well known to be bad at this’ and gets ‘plenty of advice’
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has taken the stand at a Los Angeles courthouse to testify in a civil trial on social media addiction, a closely-watched case that could have major implications for the tech industry.
The 41-year-old billionaire is being grilled by attorneys, who argue that social media platforms are deliberately engineered as “digital casinos” to lure young users into constant engagement. Zuckerberg’s testimony before the jury at the Los Angeles County Superior Court is not being live streamed, but reporters in the room are providing updates.
At the center of the case is a 20-year-old California woman, identified in court papers only as KGM, who filed a lawsuit against Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snap in 2022. She accused the companies of following Big Tobacco’s playbook: instilling addictive behaviors in teens while dismissing their own research showing their products posed health risks.
KGM said that, as a young child, she began obsessively using YouTube and Instagram. She claimed these platforms exacerbated her suicidal thoughts and depression — an allegation the companies have denied.
Zuckerberg peppered with questions by attorney
Upon taking the stand on Wednesday morning, Zuckerberg was peppered with questions by Mark Lainer, who represents the plaintiff.
Lainer asked the Meta boss about his media training, to which Zuckerberg responded that he is “well known to be bad at this” and gets “plenty of advice,” according to Sky News. The jury was then shown a document titled the "Zuckerberg comms plan,” which includes advice for the 41-year-old on how to avoid appearing “fake, robotic, corporate and cheesy.”
Zuckerberg also told the courtroom that he stands by his earlier statement that companies shouldn’t engineer their platforms to tempt young people to spend massive amounts of time on them.
“You should try and create something useful,” he said, Sky News reported. “And if you do, people will naturally want to use it."
The billionaire was further pressed about documents provided to Congress that stated some 4 million children under the age of 13 use Instagram. Zuckerberg responded that some kids lie about their age when signing up.
“You expect a 9 year old to read all of the fine print,” an attorney for the plaintiff asked, according to CNBC. “That’s your basis for swearing under oath that children under 13 are not allowed?”
The tech titan’s financial motives were also discussed.
When asked if his spending habits should be scrutinized, Zuckerberg said it’s important to point out that he has “pledged to give almost all of my money to charity.”
More about the landmark social media lawsuit
Ahead of his testimony, the Meta CEO was seen outside the courthouse, flanked by what appeared to be security staff and photographers jostling for photos. Family members who say their children were harmed by social media were also spotted nearby, holding hands and embracing.
As Zuckerberg entered the courthouse, he appeared to be handed legal papers. A video posted online shows a man approaching the tech boss with a sheet of white paper, while saying: “Mark Zuckerberg, you’ve been served.” Zuckerberg did not respond, and it’s not clear if someone in his entourage picked up the paperwork.
Before the trial began, TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff, narrowing the case to two defendants: Meta and Google.
“These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children,” Lanier said at the beginning of the trial earlier this month. “And they did it on purpose."
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has pushed back against the allegations.
“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,” a Meta spokesperson told The Independent.
Paul Schmidt, Meta’s lawyer, said in his opening statement that medical records indicate the plaintiff had a tumultuous home life and that she sought out social media platforms to cope with her pre-existing struggles.
Google has also denied the allegations brought by KGM.
More than 1,500 similar lawsuits have been filed against social media companies, but KGM’s is the first of a consolidated group to go to trial, according to CNN. It’s been chosen as a bellwether trial, meaning its verdict could help shape the outcome of numerous suits like it.
A legal victory for KGM could set a landmark precedent, making tech companies liable for designing addictive and harmful products.
In recent years, a number of studies have found links between young peoples’ frequent use of social media and negative mental health outcomes, such as anxiety and depression.
Meta, headquartered in Menlo Park, California, is also on trial in a separate case in New Mexico, in which plaintiffs accuse the company of exposing minors to sexual material and fostering a “breeding ground” for sexual predators. The company has denied the charges and has accused prosecutors of adopting “sensationalist” tactics.
Zuckerberg has been grilled over teen health concerns before
This is the first time that Mark Zuckerberg, who is worth an estimated $220 billion, has appeared at a civil trial at a courthouse. However he has appeared before Congress to testify on what impact his platforms — which are used by billions of people worldwide — have on youth mental health.
In January 2024, Zuckerberg attended a Capitol Hill hearing on social media's harms, where lawmakers blasted him and other tech CEOs for failing to adequately address issues including addiction, mental health crises, bullying and sexual predators.
During the televised hearing, children and parents provided testimony describing how young people were exploited on social media platforms. Demonstrators silently stood behind Zuckerberg, holding up pictures of their deceased children
At one point, Republican Senator Josh Hawley asked Zuckerberg if he would like to apologize to the families of victims seated in the room.
“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through,” the Meta CEO said, while turning to face them. “No one should go through the things that your families have suffered.” He noted that the company has invested in “industrywide efforts” to safeguard children.
In recent years, Meta has implemented several child safety measures, including age restrictions and parental controls.
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