Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify in a high-profile trial in Los Angeles examining claims that the company’s platforms contributed to youth addiction and mental health harm.
Opening statements in the landmark social media addiction trial began on 9 February 2026 in Los Angeles, formally launching proceedings against Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube over allegations that their platforms contributed to harm among young users.
The case was filed in 2023 by a woman identified in court documents as KGM, who is now 20. She alleges that she began using Instagram at age nine and that her early and prolonged use of social media contributed to addictive behaviour and mental health struggles, including depression, suicidal thoughts and body image-related distress.
Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube remain defendants in the case, while TikTok and Snap previously reached settlements in related claims.
Zuckerberg’s appearance will mark the first time he addresses these allegations before a jury. Although he has previously testified before Congress on youth safety concerns and publicly apologised to families who believe social media contributed to harm involving their children, this trial places those arguments directly before jurors in a civil courtroom.
A company spokesperson said the company disagrees with the claims and is confident that the evidence will demonstrate its longstanding commitment to supporting young people.
During opening statements, Meta Attorney Paul Schmidt told the court that the company does not dispute the plaintiff’s mental health struggles but argued that Instagram was not a substantial contributing factor.
He cited medical records referencing a turbulent home environment and suggested that the plaintiff used social media as a coping mechanism rather than being harmed by it. An attorney representing YouTube advanced a similar argument.
His testimony follows that of Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, who appeared in court last week. Mosseri defended Instagram’s product design choices and rejected the idea that social media platforms create clinical addiction.
Emails presented in court showed that in 2019 company executives debated whether to lift a ban on photo filters that mimicked the effects of plastic surgery. Teams responsible for policy, communications and user wellbeing recommended keeping the ban in place while gathering additional data on potential impacts on teenage girls.
Nick Clegg, then Meta’s vice president of global affairs, warned internally that lifting the ban could lead to accusations that the company was prioritising growth over responsibility.
Mosseri and Zuckerberg ultimately supported allowing certain face-altering filters to remain available while removing them from recommendation sections and prohibiting filters that explicitly promoted plastic surgery. Internal communications described the approach as presenting a notable wellbeing risk but a lower impact on user growth.
Plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier focused questioning on cosmetic filters, algorithm-driven recommendations and the continuous scrolling format of Meta’s feeds, which plaintiffs argue are designed to maximise engagement. Mosseri told jurors that Instagram has implemented safeguards aimed at protecting younger users and maintained that long-term company interests align with user wellbeing.
A company spokesperson said it disagrees with the claims and is confident that the evidence will demonstrate its longstanding commitment to supporting young people.
Legal test and wider implications
The trial has been designated as a bellwether case, meaning its outcome could influence thousands of similar lawsuits filed across the United States. For jurors to find Meta or YouTube liable, they must determine that the companies were negligent in designing or operating their platforms and that the products were a substantial factor in causing harm.
The case is also viewed as a test of the legal protections historically afforded to online platforms under U.S. law, which shield companies from liability for user-generated content. Meta’s lawyers have referenced those protections during the proceedings and could raise them again if the company appeals an adverse verdict.
The proceedings have drawn significant public attention. Several parents who say social media contributed to their children’s deaths have attended hearings.
The trial unfolds amid increasing global scrutiny of youth access to social media. Australia recently enacted legislation prohibiting platform use for children under 16, and several European countries, including Spain, Greece, Britain and France, are considering similar measures.
Meta is also facing a separate trial in New Mexico involving allegations related to social media harms.
The outcome of the Los Angeles case could shape how courts assess corporate responsibility for platform design, algorithmic systems and youth safety protections in future litigation.
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is escalating further with missile and drone attacks, expanded strikes on key infrastructure, and growing regional fa...
A man previously convicted of spying on Türkiye has been arrested by Turkish and Syrian authorities after more than a decade on the run, Turki...
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says around 25 kilometres of the TAPI gas pipeline have been laid in Herat province, as work co...
Three Armenian citizens have been charged following an alleged attempt to attack Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at St Anna Cathedral in Yerevan on ...
HHungary’s foreign minister has been drawn into controversy after an audio recording, released by ...
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is escalating further with missile and drone attacks, expanded strikes on key infrastructure, and growing regional fallout. At the same time, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate began to emerge amid rising global energy and security concerns.
Three Armenian citizens have been charged following an alleged attempt to attack Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at St Anna Cathedral in Yerevan on 29 March. Analysts say the incident reflects rising tensions between the government and the Church ahead of upcoming elections.
HHungary’s foreign minister has been drawn into controversy after an audio recording, released by an investigative outlet, appeared to show him discussing EU sanctions with his Russian counterpart days before an election that could shape Budapest’s relationship with Moscow, Reuters reports.
China and Kenya have agreed to revive a long-delayed railway project, signalling renewed momentum in infrastructure cooperation and a shift towards more sustainable financing models across Africa.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is escalating further with missile and drone attacks, expanded strikes on key infrastructure, and growing regional fallout. At the same time, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate began to emerge amid rising global energy and security concerns.
The Israeli military said on Monday that Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, and an attack had also been launched from Yemen for the second time since the U.S.-Israeli war began on Tehran. It said two drones from Yemen were intercepted early 30 March but gave no further details.
The war in Iran has rapidly upended regional security, triggering spillover across the Middle East and raising fears of wider economic disruption that could threaten globalisation.
A Russia-flagged tanker carrying about 700,000 barrels of crude has arrived in Cuba’s Matanzas Bay, marking the first major oil delivery to the island since the Trump administration cut off its fuel supplies.
China and Kenya have agreed to revive a long-delayed railway project, signalling renewed momentum in infrastructure cooperation and a shift towards more sustainable financing models across Africa.
HHungary’s foreign minister has been drawn into controversy after an audio recording, released by an investigative outlet, appeared to show him discussing EU sanctions with his Russian counterpart days before an election that could shape Budapest’s relationship with Moscow, Reuters reports.
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas and several EU foreign ministers arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Bucha massacre and to voice their support for Ukraine, amid tensions within the bloc over blocked EU aid.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 31 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment