Mark Zuckerberg To Testify Before US Jury In Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial Involving Meta

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 23:40 IST

Zuckerberg will testify before a jury after Meta and YouTube were accused of intentionally designing addictive features that hooked a now-20-year-old woman as a child.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrived in court on Wednesday to testify for the first time before a jury in connection with a landmark social media addiction trial concerning allegations that his platforms harmed children and teenagers.

Zuckerberg arrived at the Los Angeles Superior courthouse on Wednesday morning (local time) without responding to a question about what his message would be to parents who say their children were harmed by social media, reported CNN.

This trial would give the Meta CEO a chance to defend the efforts the company says it has taken to protect young users. However, nearly a dozen parents had gathered and joined hands outside the LA court ahead of Zuckerberg’s arrival.

The trial will be attended by several parents who say their children were hurt or killed as a result of extreme social media addiction, following years of safety concerns on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Why Is Zuckerberg Testifying?

According to CNN, Meta and YouTube are accused of intentionally designing addictive features that hooked a now-20-year-old woman as a child and harmed her mental health. The lawsuit brought by “Kaley" and her mother is the first of more than 1,500 similar lawsuits to go to trial.

Kaley’s lawyer, Mark Lanier, said she used Instagram for over 16 hours a day, despite her mother’s attempts to curtail her addiction. Kaley claims the app’s addictive features led her to develop anxiety, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts and that she experienced bullying and sextortion on Instagram.

However, a Meta spokesperson said “we strongly disagree" with the allegations in Kaley’s lawsuit and “are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people." The company’s lawyer argued that Kaley’s addiction stemmed from a difficult family life.

Meta has highlighted its safety features, such as parental oversight tools and “teen accounts," which implement default privacy settings and content restrictions for users under the age of 18.

Zuckerberg is expected to face questions in court about what Meta has known about the risks of its platforms for young users. He may also be asked if he prioritised earning profits over youth safety with his product decisions, as Kaley alleged.

While Zuckerberg has testified several times before the US Congress over concerns surrounding his social media platforms, this would mark the first time he will testify in a trial before a jury about youth safety. If the jury sides with Kaley, it would lead to an unprecedented ruling that holds social media companies responsible for harmful decisions by the youth.

News world Mark Zuckerberg To Testify Before US Jury In Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial Involving Meta

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