Zuckerberg testifies in civil trial over alleged social-media harms

Mark Zuckerberg testified Wednesday in a Los Angeles civil trial where plaintiffs allege Meta designed social platforms that harmed young users; Meta denies the accusations and the case is ongoing.

Mark Zuckerberg testified on Wednesday at a civil trial in Los Angeles where plaintiffs say Meta's products harmed young users. The case centers on claims that platforms such as Facebook and Instagram were designed to increase time spent and that this contributed to harm. Meta rejects the allegations. The hearing included several hours of questioning by plaintiffs' lawyer Mark Lanier and was held before a 12-member jury. Key points: - Plaintiffs allege Meta designed its platforms to increase user time and that this contributed to harm among young people. - Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged past company goals of increasing time spent on its products, said priorities have changed, and disputed some characterizations from older documents. - Meta has denied the accusations; the proceeding in Los Angeles is an active civil trial with a jury present. - A named plaintiff, identified as a 20-year-old known as K.G.M., alleges harm from early use of Instagram. Summary: The trial raises questions about how social platforms are designed and what responsibility companies have for harms reported by users. Undetermined at this time.