During a recent court appearance on Wednesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg refuted a lawyer’s claim that he had provided misleading information to Congress regarding the design of the company’s social media platforms amid an ongoing significant trial concerning youth social media addiction. Zuckerberg faced questioning about statements he made during a 2024 congressional hearing, where he asserted that the company did not instruct its teams to focus on maximizing user engagement on its applications. Mark Lanier, representing a woman alleging that Meta negatively impacted her mental health during her childhood, presented emails from 2014 and 2015 in which Zuckerberg outlined objectives to increase app usage by double-digit percentages.
Zuckerberg clarified that although Meta previously set targets related to app usage duration, it has since altered its approach. Disputing the accusation of providing inaccurate testimony, Zuckerberg stated, “If you are trying to suggest that my testimony was incorrect, I strongly disagree with that assertion.” This marked the first instance of the billionaire Facebook founder testifying in court about Instagram’s impact on the mental well-being of young users.
While Zuckerberg had previously testified on this subject before Congress, the stakes are elevated in the Los Angeles jury trial. Meta could potentially face financial penalties if unsuccessful in the case, and the outcome may weaken Big Tech’s longstanding legal defense against claims of user harm. The lawsuit, along with similar litigations, forms part of a global movement denouncing social media platforms for their impact on children’s mental health.
Various regions have taken steps to address these concerns, with Australia restricting social media access for users under 16, and Spain contemplating similar restrictions. In the U.S., Florida has enacted legislation prohibiting companies from catering to users under 14, a move challenged by tech industry trade groups in court.
The lawsuit centers around a Californian woman who began using Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube as a minor. She alleges that the companies prioritized profits by fostering dependence among children on their services despite awareness of potential mental health repercussions. Claiming that the apps exacerbated her depression and suicidal ideation, she seeks to hold the companies accountable. Meta and Google have refuted the allegations, highlighting their efforts to enhance safety features. Meta often cites a National Academies of Sciences report indicating that social media usage does not significantly impact children’s mental health.
This lawsuit serves as a pivotal case among a broader set of litigations against Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok. Numerous lawsuits in the U.S., filed by families, school districts, and states, accuse these companies of contributing to a crisis in youth mental health.
Investigative reports over time have revealed internal Meta documents indicating the company’s awareness of potential harms. A Meta study demonstrated that teenagers who frequently felt negatively about their bodies on Instagram encountered more content related to eating disorders. Testifying last week, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, claimed ignorance of a recent study showing no correlation between parental supervision and teenagers’ attention to their social media usage. Meta’s legal team argued in court that the woman’s health records attribute her issues to a troubled childhood, suggesting that social media served as a creative outlet for her.
