Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg set to testify in social media safety trial
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday as part of a landmark hearing on social media and security that has been likened to the industry’s “Big Tobacco” moment.
The case, which began in late January, focuses on a young woman who claims she became addicted to social media and video streaming apps such as Instagram. YouTube.
Lawyers representing the plaintiff claimed Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap misled the public about the security of their services and knew that the design and some features of their apps harmed the mental health of young users.
Snap and TikTok reached a settlement with the plaintiff involved in the case before the trial began.
Meta denied the allegations, and a spokesperson told CNBC in a statement that “the question for the jury in Los Angeles is whether Instagram was a significant factor in the plaintiff’s mental health struggle.”
Last week, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said he thought there could be problematic use of social media, but he didn’t believe it was the same as clinical addiction.
“So it’s a personal thing, but yes, I think it’s possible to use Instagram more than you feel good about,” Mosseri said. “Too much is relative, it’s personal.”
The Los Angeles case is one of several major cases this year in what experts have described as the social media industry’s “Big Tobacco” moment because of the alleged harm caused by its products and the company’s efforts to deceive the public.
Meta is also involved in a major lawsuit in New Mexico in which state attorney general Raúl Torrez alleges the social media giant has failed to ensure that children and young users are protected from online predators.
“We’re essentially alleging that Meta has created a dangerous product, a product that not only enables children to be targeted, but also allows children to be exploited in virtual spaces and in the real world,” Torrez told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” when opening arguments in the case began last week.
Another social media trial is expected to begin this summer in the Northern District of California. The lawsuit also involves companies like Meta and YouTube, and allegations that their apps contain flaws that cause harmful mental health problems in young users.
WRISTWATCH: New Mexico AG Raul Torrez describes his case against Meta
