Mark Zuckerberg will take the witness stand on Wednesday, marking the first time the head of Meta testifies before a jury over claims that social media harmed young users.
The testimony comes in a closely watched trial that accuses Meta and YouTube of designing addictive features that negatively affected a young woman’s mental health. The case, filed by a now-20-year-old woman identified in court as Kaley and her mother, is the first of more than 1,500 similar lawsuits to reach trial.
According to her lawyers, Kaley began using YouTube at age six and joined Instagram at nine. They claim she spent hours a day on the app, sometimes more than 16 hours, and later developed anxiety, body image issues, and suicidal thoughts. She also alleges she experienced bullying and sextortion on the platform.
Meta denies the claims. Company lawyers argue that factors in Kaley’s home life, not social media, caused her struggles. A Meta spokesperson said the company has long invested in youth safety tools, including parental controls and teen-specific account settings.
Zuckerberg is expected to face pointed questions about what Meta knew about risks to young users and whether its safeguards went far enough. Legal experts say his demeanor and credibility could shape how jurors interpret internal company documents and testimony.
The case is unfolding in Los Angeles, where families from across the country have gathered, hoping the trial brings long-awaited accountability.
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