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Zuckerberg testifies at trial accusing social media firms of addicting kids to their platforms

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg denies allegations that Instagram was designed to addict youth despite internal emails showing aims to increase user time by double digits, while plaintiffs seek damages.

  • In Los Angeles Superior Court, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies on Wednesday about whether Meta’s platforms deliberately addict and harm children.
  • The lawsuit centers on K.G.M., who alleges early Instagram and YouTube use caused addiction and worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts, claiming deliberate design choices for profit.
  • Questioning has centered on cosmetic filters, with Adam Mosseri testifying that it's 'a personal thing,' and he believes it's 'possible to use Instagram more than you feel good about.'
  • The case is a bellwether that could affect thousands of similar lawsuits and is the first from more than 1,600 plaintiffs, including over 350 families and over 250 school districts.
  • A similar trial is expected in the Northern District of California, involving Meta and YouTube, after TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff last week, according to sources.
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On Wednesday afternoon, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's executive director, appeared before a California court to testify in a historic legal case about whether social media, including Instagram, is addictive to children.In his first appearance before a jury, after years of negative reactions against his company – owned by both Instagram and WhatsApp and Facebook – Zuckerberg was questioned by the plaintiffs' lawyers about whether Meta was not doing eno…

·Chile
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Mark Zuckerberg says his company will no longer build applications designed to keep people glued to their screens. The founder of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, among others, was due to testify in court today in the US state of California. The case is part of a larger civil lawsuit against social media companies. More than 1,600 plaintiffs allege that companies like Meta and YouTube, which is owned by Google, deliberately ho…

·Netherlands
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WPLG broke the news in Miami, United States on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
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