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Zuckerberg Takes the Stand in Trial Over Instagram Data and Mental Health Claims

By  |  February 18, 2026

Meta Platforms CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to appear in a U.S. courtroom for the first time to answer questions about Instagram’s impact on young users’ mental health, as a closely watched trial unfolds in Los Angeles.

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    The civil case, being heard before a jury in California, centers on allegations that Instagram contributed to psychological harm suffered by a woman who began using the platform as a child. According to Reuters, the proceedings could have significant financial and legal consequences for Meta if the company is found liable for damages. The outcome may also test the tech industry’s longstanding legal protections against claims that online platforms are responsible for user harm.

    Zuckerberg has previously addressed lawmakers in congressional hearings on similar issues. However, according to Reuters, this trial presents higher stakes because it could result in monetary damages and potentially weaken the broader legal shield technology companies have relied on in defending against such lawsuits.

    The lawsuit is part of a broader wave of legal and political scrutiny directed at social media companies worldwide. Governments have increasingly moved to restrict youth access to online platforms. Australia has banned social media access for users under 16, and Spain is weighing comparable measures. In the United States, Florida has enacted a law barring companies from allowing children under 14 to create accounts, though industry groups are contesting that statute in court.

    At the center of the California case is a woman who alleges that she began using Instagram, owned by Meta, and YouTube, operated by Google, during her childhood. She claims the companies intentionally designed their services to maximize engagement among young users despite being aware of potential mental health risks. According to Reuters, she contends that prolonged use of the apps intensified her depression and suicidal thoughts and is seeking to hold the companies responsible.

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    Read more: Meta Executives to Testify in Case Targeting Instagram’s Design Practices

    Meta and Google have denied the allegations. The companies have highlighted measures they say are intended to improve user safety, including new features and parental tools. Meta has also cited findings from the National Academies of Sciences, stating that existing research does not establish that social media causes changes in children’s mental health, according to Reuters.

    Legal experts view the case as a bellwether for thousands of similar claims pending across the United States. Families, school districts and state governments have filed lawsuits against Meta, Alphabet’s Google, Snap and TikTok, alleging that their platforms have contributed to a youth mental health crisis.

    Zuckerberg is expected to face questions about internal Meta research and discussions regarding Instagram’s effects on teenagers. Investigative reports in recent years have disclosed company documents indicating awareness of potential harms. According to Reuters, internal Meta research found that teenagers who reported feeling worse about their bodies after using Instagram were shown significantly more “eating disorder adjacent content” than teens who did not report such feelings.

    Testimony in the trial has also included statements from Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram. According to Reuters, Mosseri told the court last week that he was unaware of a recent internal study suggesting no connection between parental supervision and how attentive teens are to their own social media use. Documents presented at trial indicated that teenagers facing challenging life circumstances were more likely to describe their Instagram use as habitual or unintentional.

    Meta’s legal team has countered that the plaintiff’s mental health struggles predated her social media use. According to Reuters, the company’s attorney told jurors that her medical records point to a difficult upbringing as the source of her challenges and argued that social media platforms served as a creative outlet rather than a cause of harm.

    Source: Reuters