In a landmark lawsuit over social media addiction among underage users, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg denied allegations that Instagram targets children under 13, ignoring evidence suggesting they are a significant demographic.
The social media addiction lawsuit involves a California woman who claims Instagram and YouTube harmed her mental health when she was a child, alleging the platforms make profits by engaging young users.
Evidence of targeting young users
Zuckerberg faced fierce questions from lawyer Mark Lanier, who highlighted internal Meta documents indicating a strategy to attract younger users. One document stated: “If we want to win big with teenagers, we need to integrate them as preteens. »
Lanier disputed Zuckerberg’s previous claims to Congress that users under the age of 13 are not allowed on the platform. Meta’s boss responded that Meta had discussed creating a version of Instagram for children but had not followed through.
While examining Meta’s past strategies, Lanier presented emails revealing Zuckerberg’s goals to increase user engagement on Instagram. While acknowledging that previous goals were aimed at increasing time spent on the app, he insisted that the company had shifted its focus.
The lawsuit serves as a critical test for similar claims against Meta and other tech giants, as families and organizations increasingly choose to hold them accountable for the platforms’ impact on young people’s mental health.
If the motion results in a ruling against Meta, it would call into question long-standing legal protections that tech companies enjoy against liability for harm to users.
