Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faces questioning in a U.S. court over Instagram’s alleged impact on young users’ mental health.
The Los Angeles jury trial marks the first time Zuckerberg addresses the issue in court, raising potential financial and reputational risks for Meta.
If the company loses, it could face damages and see its long-standing legal shield against user-harm claims significantly weakened.
The case reflects a broader global backlash over youth social media use, with countries imposing stricter age-based access restrictions.
Australia and Spain have banned platforms for users under 16, while Florida bars access for children under 14, prompting legal challenges.
The lawsuit centers on a California woman alleging Instagram and YouTube fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts during childhood.
Meta and Google deny wrongdoing, citing safety features and research suggesting no proven causal link between social media and mental health decline.
The trial is viewed as a test case amid thousands of similar lawsuits accusing major platforms of contributing to a youth mental health crisis.
