Meta CEO and Chairman Mark Zuckerberg arrives at Los Angeles Superior Court docket forward of the social media trial tasked to find out whether or not social media giants intentionally designed their platforms to be addictive to youngsters, in Los Angeles, on Feb. 18, 2026.
Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Pictures
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated to a courtroom on Wednesday that some users lie about their age when signing up for Instagram.
The feedback responded to questions about paperwork from earlier testimony earlier than Congress, which said that 4 million children beneath 13 used the platform within the U.S.
Zuckerberg stated that the corporate removes all underage users recognized and contains phrases about age utilization through the signal up course of.
“You anticipate a 9 12 months previous to learn the entire positive print,” a lawyer for the plaintiff questioned. “That is your foundation for swearing beneath oath that youngsters beneath 13 are usually not allowed?”
The feedback got here throughout testimony in a landmark trial about social media and security that is being likened to the business’s “Large Tobacco” second.
Attorneys on Wednesday additionally questioned whether or not Zuckerberg beforehand lied about the board’s lack of ability to fireplace him in a courtroom on Wednesday.
If the board desires to fireplace me, I may elect a brand new board and reinstate myself,” he stated, in response to remarks he beforehand made on Joe Rogan’s podcast.
Throughout his interview with the podcaster final 12 months, Zuckerberg had stated he wasn’t nervous about shedding his job as a result of he holds voting energy.
Zuckerberg walked into Los Angeles Superior Court docket simply earlier than midday ET Wednesday, with a number of members of the staff escorting him pictured sporting the Meta Ray-Ban synthetic intelligence glasses.
The Ray-Ban brand was seen on the facet, together with the small cameras within the corners. Recording shouldn’t be allowed within the court docket room.
The trial, which started in late January, facilities on a younger lady who alleged that she grew to become hooked on social media and video streaming apps like Instagram and YouTube.
Attorneys representing the plaintiff contend that Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap misled the general public about the protection of their providers and knew that the design of their apps and sure options precipitated psychological well being harms to younger users.
Snap and TikTok settled with the plaintiff concerned within the case earlier than the trial started.
Meta CEO and Chairman Mark Zuckerberg arrives at Los Angeles Superior Court docket forward of the social media trial tasked to find out whether or not social media giants intentionally designed their platforms to be addictive to youngsters, in Los Angeles, on Feb. 18, 2026.
Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Pictures
Meta has denied the allegations and a spokesperson instructed CNBC in a press release that “The query for the jury in Los Angeles is whether or not Instagram was a considerable issue within the plaintiff’s psychological well being struggles.”
Final week, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri testified that whereas he thinks there could be problematic utilization of social media, he does not imagine that is the identical as medical dependancy.
“So it is a private factor, however yeah, I do assume it is attainable to make use of Instagram greater than you’re feeling good about,” Mosseri stated. “An excessive amount of is relative, it is private.”
The Los Angeles trial is one among a number of main court docket circumstances going down this 12 months that consultants have described because the social media business’s “Large Tobacco” second, due to the alleged hurt attributable to their merchandise and the associated firm efforts to deceive the general public.
Meta can be concerned in a significant trial in New Mexico, during which the state’s legal professional common, Raúl Torrez, alleged that the social media large failed to make sure that youngsters and younger users are protected from on-line predators.
“What we’re actually alleging is that Meta has created a harmful product, a product that allows not solely the focusing on of kids, however the exploitation of kids in digital areas and in the actual world,” Torrez instructed CNBC’s “Squawk Field” final week when opening arguments for the trial started.
This summer time, one other social media trial is anticipated to start within the Northern District of California. That trial additionally includes firms like Meta and YouTube and allegations that their respective apps contained flaws that fostered detrimental psychological well being points in younger users.
WATCH: New Mexico AG Raul Torrez talks about his case in opposition to Meta
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