Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies on social media’s impact on children in major trial

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has testified in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday (February 18). According to a report by CNBC, Zuckerberg informed that court that he had reached out to Apple CEO Tim Cook in 2018 to discuss the ‘well being of teens and kids’. The comments from Meta CEO came after the defense lawyers presented emails between the two executives, aiming to highlight that Zuckerberg was proactive about the safety of kids and teens on Instagram. “I care about the wellbeing of teens and kids who are using our services,” Zuckerberg said.

Instagram’s beauty filters and free expression

The central issue in the trial is whether Instagram’s beauty filters harmed young users. Lawyers pressed Zuckerberg on internal discussions about banning cosmetic surgery filters after experts warned that these filters will have negative impact of the teenage girls. The report adds that Zuckernger acknowledged the concerns but mentioned that the decision came down to free expression. “I genuinely want to err on the side of giving people the ability to express themselves,” he testified.




Along with this, the case also centers on the allegations that Meta designed Instagram to maximise the time spent on the app. However, Zuckerberg pushed back, saying that the engagement metrics were used as internal milestones rather than company goals. The evidence presented in the court included documents from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, showing targets to increase daily user time to 40 minutes in 2023 and 46 minutes in 2026.

Underage users and enforcement

The lawyers also questioned whether Meta adequately prevents under-13 users from joining Instagram. As the documents presented before the court revealed that nearly 4 million children under the age of 13 are using the platform in the US. Replying to the question, Meta CEO admitted that some users lie about their age but he also said that Meta removes underage accounts when identified and Instagram only began requiring birthdays at sign‑up in late 2019.

The trial also saw unusual moments, with Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl warning that anyone using AI smart glasses during testimony would be held in contempt. Members of Zuckerberg’s team were photographed wearing Meta’s Ray‑Ban AI glasses before entering the courthouse.

The Los Angeles case is one of several lawsuits this year accusing social media companies of harming young users’ mental health. Meta faces another trial in New Mexico, where the state’s attorney general alleges the company failed to protect children from online predators.