Mark Zuckerberg questioned on Meta's under-13 users and usage goals in landmark social media trial

February 19, 2026

TL;DR

Mark Zuckerberg was questioned in court about Meta's handling of users under 13 on Instagram.
The lawsuit alleges that Meta and YouTube designed their platforms to be addictive, causing harm to young users.
Zuckerberg stated that while users under 13 are not allowed on Instagram, enforcement is difficult due to age misrepresentation.
Meta uses time spent on Instagram as a proxy to measure performance against competitors like TikTok.
The trial could have significant implications for other lawsuits against social media companies.
Meta and Google (parent of YouTube) deny the allegations, with Meta stating they are committed to supporting young people and Google calling the claims untrue.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri testified previously, expressing doubt about clinical addiction to social media and referring to it as 'problematic use'.

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