Meta’s Zuckerberg grilled in landmark US social media addiction trial

South China Morning Post · Feb 18, 2026 · Collected from RSS

Summary

Full Article

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Wednesday he regretted Meta’s slow progress in identifying underage users on Instagram, as he faced stinging criticism at a landmark social media trial over accusations that his company deliberately hooked children.Asked to comment on complaints from inside the company that not enough was being done to verify whether children under 13 were using the platform, the 41-year-old head of Meta, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp, said improvements had been made.But “I always wish that we could have gotten there sooner,” he added.Zuckerberg was the most hotly anticipated witness in the California trial, the first in a series of lawsuits filed by American families against social media platforms.Mark Zuckerberg testifying. Image: Mona Edwards via ReutersThe trial marked the first time the multibillionaire addressed the safety of his world-dominating platforms directly before a jury and under oath.

Share this story

Read Original at South China Morning Post

The Verge2 days ago

Smart glasses in court are a privacy nightmare

When Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrived at a Los Angeles courthouse on Wednesday, he did so with a team that appeared to be wearing Meta's camera-equipped Ray-Ban smart glasses. Judge Carolyn Kuhl was concerned. According to CNBC, Kuhl warned anyone recording with the glasses, "If you have done that, you must delete that, or you will be held in contempt of the court." Kuhl also ordered everyone wearing AI smart glasses to remove them. Even after the warning, at least one person was seen wearing the glasses around jurors in a courthouse hallway, although plaintiff attorney Rachel Lanier was told the glasses weren't recording at the time. Glas … Read the full story at The Verge.

Engadget2 days ago

Engadget Podcast: Instagram on trial and the RAMaggedon rages on

This week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark social media trial, claiming the company only wanted to make Instagram "useful" and not addictive. In this episode, we chat about Zuck's testimony and the potential implications of this trial for social media companies. Also, we dive into the latest effects of the RAMaggedon RAM shortage, including a potential PlayStation 6 delay and a dire future for practically every consumer electronics company. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics Mark Zuckerberg testifies that Instagram was meant to be “useful,” not addictive in social media addiction trial – 1:27 Meta reportedly plans to launch a smartwatch later this year – 13:23 The RAMageddon will likely kill some small consumer electronics companies – 15:54 Apple could unveil a MacBook, new M5 Pro chip, and iPhone 17e at March 4th event – 26:26 Google’s Pixel 10a arrives on March 5 – 32:17 Email leaked to 404 media suggests Ring had plans to use its Search Party function for wider surveillance – 34:48 Listener mail – 45:14 Working on – 48:40 Pop culture picks – 49:04 Credits Host: Devindra Hardawar Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/engadget-podcast-instagram-on-trial-and-the-ramaggedon-rages-on-131526178.html?src=rss

The Verge3 days ago

The executive that helped build Meta’s ad machine is trying to expose it

Brian Boland spent more than a decade figuring out how to build a system that would make Meta money. On Thursday, he told a California jury it incentivized drawing more and more users, including teens, onto Facebook and Instagram - despite the risks. Boland's testimony came a day after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in a case over whether Meta and YouTube are liable for allegedly harming a young woman's mental health. Zuckerberg framed Meta's mission as balancing safety with free expression, not revenue. Boland's role was to counter this by explaining how Meta makes money, and how that shaped its platforms' design. Boland testified … Read the full story at The Verge.

Al Jazeera3 days ago

Is social media addictive?

Meta is accused of harming young users with its addictive features.

TechCrunch3 days ago

Zuckerberg grilled in court over social media harms on teens

Meta's CEO was questioned over the addictive nature of its social media apps like Instagram, and other teen harms.

Hacker News3 days ago

Mark Zuckerberg Grilled on Usage Goals and Underage Users at California Trial

Article URL: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/meta-mark-zuckerberg-social-media-trial-0e9a7fa0 Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47075245 Points: 26 # Comments: 1

Meta’s Zuckerberg grilled in landmark US social media addiction trial

Full Article

Related Articles

Smart glasses in court are a privacy nightmare

Engadget Podcast: Instagram on trial and the RAMaggedon rages on

The executive that helped build Meta’s ad machine is trying to expose it

Is social media addictive?

Zuckerberg grilled in court over social media harms on teens

Mark Zuckerberg Grilled on Usage Goals and Underage Users at California Trial

Meta’s Zuckerberg grilled in landmark US social media addiction trial

Full Article

Related Articles

Smart glasses in court are a privacy nightmare

Engadget Podcast: Instagram on trial and the RAMaggedon rages on

The executive that helped build Meta’s ad machine is trying to expose it

Is social media addictive?

Zuckerberg grilled in court over social media harms on teens

Mark Zuckerberg Grilled on Usage Goals and Underage Users at California Trial

Related Articles

The Verge2 days ago
Smart glasses in court are a privacy nightmare
When Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrived at a Los Angeles courthouse on Wednesday, he did so with a team that appeared to be wearing Meta's camera-equipped Ray-Ban smart glasses. Judge Carolyn Kuhl was concerned. According to CNBC, Kuhl warned anyone recording with the glasses, "If you have done that, you must delete that, or you will be held in contempt of the court." Kuhl also ordered everyone wearing AI smart glasses to remove them. Even after the warning, at least one person was seen wearing the glasses around jurors in a courthouse hallway, although plaintiff attorney Rachel Lanier was told the glasses weren't recording at the time. Glas … Read the full story at The Verge.

Engadget2 days ago
Engadget Podcast: Instagram on trial and the RAMaggedon rages on
This week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark social media trial, claiming the company only wanted to make Instagram "useful" and not addictive. In this episode, we chat about Zuck's testimony and the potential implications of this trial for social media companies. Also, we dive into the latest effects of the RAMaggedon RAM shortage, including a potential PlayStation 6 delay and a dire future for practically every consumer electronics company. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics Mark Zuckerberg testifies that Instagram was meant to be “useful,” not addictive in social media addiction trial – 1:27 Meta reportedly plans to launch a smartwatch later this year – 13:23 The RAMageddon will likely kill some small consumer electronics companies – 15:54 Apple could unveil a MacBook, new M5 Pro chip, and iPhone 17e at March 4th event – 26:26 Google’s Pixel 10a arrives on March 5 – 32:17 Email leaked to 404 media suggests Ring had plans to use its Search Party function for wider surveillance – 34:48 Listener mail – 45:14 Working on – 48:40 Pop culture picks – 49:04 Credits Host: Devindra Hardawar Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/engadget-podcast-instagram-on-trial-and-the-ramaggedon-rages-on-131526178.html?src=rss

The Verge3 days ago
The executive that helped build Meta’s ad machine is trying to expose it
Brian Boland spent more than a decade figuring out how to build a system that would make Meta money. On Thursday, he told a California jury it incentivized drawing more and more users, including teens, onto Facebook and Instagram - despite the risks. Boland's testimony came a day after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in a case over whether Meta and YouTube are liable for allegedly harming a young woman's mental health. Zuckerberg framed Meta's mission as balancing safety with free expression, not revenue. Boland's role was to counter this by explaining how Meta makes money, and how that shaped its platforms' design. Boland testified … Read the full story at The Verge.

Al Jazeera3 days ago
Is social media addictive?
Meta is accused of harming young users with its addictive features.

TechCrunch3 days ago
Zuckerberg grilled in court over social media harms on teens
Meta's CEO was questioned over the addictive nature of its social media apps like Instagram, and other teen harms.

Hacker News3 days ago
Mark Zuckerberg Grilled on Usage Goals and Underage Users at California Trial
Article URL: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/meta-mark-zuckerberg-social-media-trial-0e9a7fa0 Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47075245 Points: 26 # Comments: 1