Zuckerberg to Defend Meta's Youth Strategy at Social Media Addiction Trial
Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is preparing to testify in a landmark Los Angeles trial examining allegations of social media addiction, where he will face intense questioning about how his company balances protecting young users with driving revenue growth.
The trial, which began on February 9, centers on a 20-year-old woman who claims Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube contributed significantly to her years of mental health struggles. Zuckerberg, ranked as the world's fifth richest person, will be the second executive to take the stand in this high-profile case.
Examining Meta's Youth Strategy
Mark Lanier, the attorney representing the plaintiff, has informed jurors that he plans to thoroughly question Zuckerberg about Meta's objectives concerning attracting and retaining young users. Lanier specifically mentioned a 2015 memo in which Zuckerberg outlined company goals to "reverse the teen trend" and "increase time spent by 12 percent."
"You'll hear him admit, I hope, that the teen trend was declining and he ordered his teams to reverse it," Lanier stated during opening arguments. "Not because it is good for the teens, but because it is necessary for the income."
The attorney emphasized that Meta had developed what employees internally referred to as a "youth strategy" specifically designed to optimize platforms for younger demographics.
Broader Implications for Social Media Industry
This trial represents a critical test case for thousands of similar lawsuits targeting not only Meta and Google but also TikTok Inc. and Snap Inc. The latter two companies reached confidential settlements with the plaintiff's legal team shortly before trial and are not participating in the current proceedings.
While all four social media giants have denied any wrongdoing and maintain they have implemented substantial protective measures for young users, they collectively face billions of dollars in potential damages if juries rule against them in these early trials.
Internal Documents Reveal Strategic Priorities
Documents made public by a former Meta employee turned whistleblower revealed that the company faced declining teen usage on its core Facebook platform, prompting internal strategizing about how to "optimize" networks for younger audiences. In recent years, Meta has made attracting young adults to Facebook a primary focus, adjusting algorithms to surface more content from outside users' immediate social circles—a strategy popularized by competitor TikTok.
During Zuckerberg's anticipated testimony on Wednesday, he will likely face questions about key design decisions for Facebook and Instagram, company policies regarding children and teenagers, and internal communications discussing the potentially addictive nature of social media platforms.
Profit Versus Safety Debate
The tension between business interests and user safety emerged as a central theme during earlier testimony from Instagram head Adam Mosseri on February 11. Lanier questioned Mosseri extensively about Meta's decision to lift its ban on photo filters that simulate cosmetic surgery effects.
Internal company emails revealed that both Mosseri and Zuckerberg supported removing the prohibition despite staff concerns that these so-called beauty filters might cause more harm than benefit to users.
The trial is expected to continue through the end of March, with Zuckerberg's testimony representing a pivotal moment in proceedings that could establish important precedents for how social media companies approach youth engagement and protection moving forward.
