Meta’s Zuckerberg pushes back on social media youth addiction claims

Al JazeeraEN 4 min read 100% complete by Andy HirschfeldFebruary 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a Los Angeles court in a trial examining Instagram's impact on young users' mental health. The case centers on a woman, KGM, who alleges Instagram fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts during childhood. Zuckerberg refuted claims that Instagram's design promotes addiction, disagreeing with accusations that he misled Congress about the company's goals regarding user engagement. Lawyers presented evidence suggesting Meta previously aimed to increase user time on the app, which Zuckerberg addressed by stating the company's approach has since changed. The outcome of this trial is significant, as a Meta loss could lead to substantial damages and weaken legal defenses against similar lawsuits alleging social media platforms are responsible for user harm.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

YouTube 35% Snap 35% KGM 40% TikTok ×240% US Congress 40% United States 50% Mark Lanier ×260% Los Angeles ×260% Instagram ×375% Meta ×785% Mark Zuckerberg ×790%

Keywords

mark zuckerberg 100% social media 90% instagram 90% meta 90% lawsuit 80% youth addiction 80% mental health 70% user harm 60% legal defence 50% big tech 50%