Chicago – February 18, 2026
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg has denied that Instagram is designed to target children, as he faced tense questioning in a Los Angeles trial over youth social media addiction.
Testifying before a jury, Zuckerberg insisted Meta does not allow users under 13 on its platforms, even when confronted with internal Instagram documents suggesting that “to win big with teens, we must bring them in as tweens.” He rejected claims that his prior statements to Congress were misleading, saying the plaintiff’s lawyer was “mischaracterising” his testimony and that Meta had explored but never launched a separate Instagram for under-13s.
The lawsuit, brought by a California woman who began using Instagram and YouTube as a child, alleges the platforms knowingly hooked minors despite evidence of mental health harms, contributing to her depression and suicidal thoughts. Meta and Google deny liability and highlight safety features and external research they say show no clear causal link between social media and youth mental health problems.
