Meta CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is set to be questioned for the first time in a U.S. court about Instagram’s impact on the mental health of young users, as a high-profile trial over social media and youth addiction continues in Los Angeles, California.
While Zuckerberg has previously testified before Congress on the issue, this jury trial carries higher stakes. If Meta loses, the company could face damages, and the verdict could weaken long-standing legal protections Big Tech has relied on against claims of user harm.
The lawsuit is part of a broader global backlash against social media platforms over children’s mental health. Australia now bars social media access for users under 16, while Spain is considering similar measures. In the United States, Florida restricts accounts for children under 14, though industry trade groups are challenging that law in court.
The case involves a California woman who began using Instagram and YouTube as a child. She alleges that the companies prioritized profits by keeping children engaged on their platforms, despite knowing the potential mental health risks. She claims that prolonged use contributed to depression and suicidal thoughts and is seeking to hold Meta and Google accountable.
Meta and Google have denied the allegations, pointing to efforts to improve user safety. The company often references findings from the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, which suggest that research does not show social media definitively alters children’s mental health.
The trial is considered a test case for thousands of similar lawsuits filed by families, schools, and states against Meta, Google, Snapchat, and TikTok. These cases broadly accuse the companies of contributing to a youth mental health crisis.
Zuckerberg is expected to face questions about Meta’s internal research and discussions on Instagram’s effects on younger users. Last week, Instagram head Adam Mosseri testified that he was unaware of a recent Meta study indicating that parental supervision did not significantly affect teens’ social media habits. According to the study, teens facing difficult life circumstances were more likely to use Instagram habitually or without intention.
Meta’s legal team told jurors that the plaintiff’s mental health challenges stemmed from a troubled childhood and that social media had served as a creative outlet rather than the cause of her difficulties.
Experts and advocates watching the trial say its outcome could have wide-reaching implications for how tech companies operate social media platforms for minors and how the law interprets their responsibility for user well-being.
As Zuckerberg prepares to take the stand, the case highlights the growing scrutiny over the intersection of social media use and youth mental health, placing one of the world’s most influential tech executives at the center of a pivotal legal and public debate.
