Meta CEO Denies Allegations of Engineering Social Media Addiction

Mark Zuckerberg took the witness stand in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, to defend Meta against claims that its platforms are intentionally designed to hook children and teens.

The CEO’s testimony is a pivotal moment in a landmark lawsuit filed by a 20-year-old woman, identified in court as “Kaley,” who alleges that compulsive use of Instagram and YouTube starting in her childhood led to severe mental health struggles, including anxiety and depression. This case is being closely watched as it could set a legal precedent for more than 1,500 similar lawsuits across the country.

During his testimony, Zuckerberg was grilled about whether Instagram’s algorithms are built to create addiction. He pushed back, asserting that Meta’s business goals are tied to user satisfaction rather than simply forcing people to stay on the app. “I’m focused on building a community that is sustainable,” Zuckerberg said. “If you do something that’s not good for people, maybe they’ll spend more time [on Instagram] short term, but if they’re not happy with it, they’re not going to use it over time. I’m not trying to maximize the amount of time people spend every month.” When the plaintiff’s attorney, Mark Lanier, pressed him further on the app’s addictive nature, Zuckerberg responded, “I’m not sure what to say to that… I don’t think that applies here.”

The trial also delved into internal documents and historical strategy. Lanier questioned Zuckerberg about a 2015 email where the CEO set a goal to increase time spent on Meta’s apps by 12%. Zuckerberg acknowledged the past benchmark but claimed the company has since moved away from those specific growth metrics. The defense has consistently argued that Kaley’s mental health challenges were influenced by numerous external factors, including a difficult home life, long before she ever used social media. Meta stated that “the evidence will show she faced many significant, difficult challenges well before she ever used social media.”

Outside the courtroom, the trial has drawn families from across the United States who believe their children were harmed by social media. While Meta and YouTube continue to fight the allegations, other major players like Snapchat and TikTok have already reached settlements in this specific case.

For Zuckerberg, this marks the first time he has defended his company’s product design before a jury, rather than a congressional committee. If the jury finds Meta liable, the company could face billions in damages and be forced to fundamentally change how its algorithms interact with younger users.