Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been ordered to testify in a major US trial over social media’s impact on young people.
Judge Carolyn Kuhl of Los Angeles County Superior Court rejected Meta’s argument that his in-person appearance was unnecessary. The order also applies to Snap’s chief executive Evan Spiegel and Instagram head Adam Mosseri.
The trial, expected in January, is one of the first of its kind in the United States. It follows hundreds of lawsuits claiming that social media platforms deliberately made their apps addictive, despite knowing about mental health risks.
Parents and school districts accuse Meta and Snap of weak parental controls and unsafe design features. They say notifications for likes and messages keep children hooked on the platforms.
Meta and Snap deny wrongdoing. They argue that US law protects them from responsibility for user content, citing legislation from the 1990s. However, Judge Kuhl ruled the companies must still face claims of negligence over their app designs.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that tech firms avoided making safety changes to protect profits. Judge Kuhl said that hearing directly from company leaders is essential. “The testimony of a CEO is uniquely relevant,” she wrote, noting their knowledge of possible harms.
The legal challenge also includes TikTok and YouTube. The firms face growing political and public pressure over young people’s mental health.
Zuckerberg previously told Congress that Meta takes the issue seriously, insisting research does not prove social media harms youth mental health.
