Zuckerberg Faces Jury in Historic Trial Over Youth Addiction Claims
Oakland, Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
For the first time, a tech CEO faces a jury over child safety, as Zuckerberg testifies on whether Meta intentionally designed products to addict young users.
The Weight of the Evidence
Today, Wednesday, February 18, 2026, marks a pivotal moment in Los Angeles County Superior Court as Meta Platforms (META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg addresses the jury directly [1][2]. This testimony serves as the centerpiece of a consolidated lawsuit involving over 1,600 plaintiffs, including more than 350 families and 250 school districts, who allege that social media platforms were defectively designed to exploit the vulnerabilities of children [1]. The current trial focuses specifically on the case of “K.G.M.” (Kaley), a 20-year-old woman who claims her compulsive use of Instagram—beginning at age nine—and YouTube—beginning at age six—exacerbated severe depression and suicidal ideation [1][2]. While TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff prior to trial, Meta and Google remain as defendants in this high-stakes litigation [2].
Piercing the Corporate Shield
Historically, social media companies have relied on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 to shield themselves from liability regarding user-generated content [1][2]. However, plaintiffs are navigating around this immunity by framing the issue as one of product liability rather than content moderation [2]. Attorneys argue that the platforms are “defective products” intentionally engineered to create dependency [2]. Matt Bergman, the founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, emphasized the gravity of today’s proceedings, stating that for the first time, a Meta CEO must explain under oath why the company released a product that “its own safety teams warned were addictive and harmful to children” [1].
Inside the Courtroom
The legal battle hinges on internal documents that plaintiffs’ lawyers, such as Mark Lanier, argue prove the companies “built machines designed to addict the brains of children” on purpose [2]. Conversely, defense attorneys for the tech giants contend that social media is being used as a scapegoat for complex emotional and psychological issues affecting today’s youth [2]. This follows testimony earlier this month from Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, who defended the platform on February 10, 2026 [1]. The atmosphere surrounding the trial has been charged with emotion; parents held up photos of their children outside the courtroom earlier in the proceedings, demanding accountability [1].
A Precedent for the Tech Industry
This trial is considered a test case that could dictate the outcome of the thousands of similar claims pending across the country [2]. A verdict against Meta would require agreement from 9 of the 12 jurors and could result in significant monetary damages as well as court-ordered changes to platform architecture [2]. Such a loss could also compel the company to enter settlement negotiations for the remaining lawsuits [2]. The scrutiny on Meta is intensifying on multiple fronts; in addition to this civil trial, the company faces a separate consumer protection trial in New Mexico regarding allegations of failing to prevent child sexual exploitation on its platforms [2].