Mark Zuckerberg testifies in L.A. trial over claims social media makes kids addicted

"Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg made an extended, pugnacious appearance in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, defending his company from the witness stand against a lawsuit that alleges social media harms children. The Meta boss appeared in a dark suit and gray tie, his signature chestnut curls slightly mussed, darting occasional nervous looks at the jury and the 20-year-old plaintiff, who sat in the courtroom gallery. "I'm not -I think I'm actually sort of well known to be very bad at this," Zuckerberg told the young woman's attorney, Mark Lanier, when pressed about the professional polish of his testimony."

"In a dramatic moment late in the morning, Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl sharply warned anyone in the courtroom against wearing Meta's AI glasses. "If your glasses are recording, you must take them off," the judge said. "It is the order of this court that there must be no facial recognition of the jury. If you have done that, you must delete it. This is very serious." The admonition was met with silence in the courtroom. Simply getting Zuckerberg on the stand Wednesday was a coup for the plaintiffs and a liability for his company's platforms, which must now contend with profound public distaste for the Meta figurehead."

"According to a study last year by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, the overwhelming majority of American adults have an unfavorable view of Zuckerberg. The percent of adults who view him very favorably is on par with the share who believe the Earth is flat or that aliens live among us. "It's a very big deal," said Jenny Kim, an attorney in a related lawsuit. "The whole world is coming to watch him." Crowds filled the plaza outside the Spring Street courthouse downtown Wednesday, with lines stretched out the door to enter the building, where many had waited for hours just for a glimpse of the CEO."

Mark Zuckerberg appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court to defend Meta against a lawsuit alleging that its social platforms harm children. He wore a dark suit and showed visible nervousness while facing a 20-year-old plaintiff and attorneys from the witness stand. Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl ordered that no one record or use facial recognition of the jury, explicitly banning Meta's AI glasses in the courtroom. Public interest was intense, with crowds and long lines outside the courthouse. A Pew Research Center study noted widespread unfavorable views of Zuckerberg among American adults, heightening reputational stakes for Meta.

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