Instagram may be addictive to kids, but Zuckerberg says otherwise at LA trial

In a landmark trial regarding social media addiction among underage users, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg denied allegations that Instagram targets children under 13, disregarding evidence that suggests they make up a significant demographic.

The social media addiction lawsuit case involves a California woman who claims Instagram and YouTube harmed her mental health as a child, alleging that the platforms make profits by engaging young users.

Evidence of targeting young users

Zuckerberg faced fierce questioning from attorney Mark Lanier, who highlighted internal Meta documents indicating a strategy to attract younger users. One document stated, “If we want to win big with teens, we must bring them in as tweens.”

Lanier challenged Zuckerberg’s previous assertions before Congress, wherein he claimed that users under 13 are not allowed on the platform. The Meta boss in response maintained that Meta discussed creating a version of Instagram for children but did not proceed with it.

While examining Meta’s past strategies, Lanier presented emails revealing Zuckerberg’s goals to increase user engagement on Instagram. While he acknowledged that previous objectives were devised to boost time spent on the app, he insisted that the company has shifted its focus.

The lawsuit stands as a critical test case for similar claims against Meta and other tech giants, as families and organisations are increasingly choosing to hold them accountable for the platforms’ impact on youth mental health.

Should the petition bring in a ruling against Meta, it would challenge the long-standing legal protections to tech companies from liability for user harm.