What it was like to watch grieving parents stare down Mark Zuckerberg in court

"They were glaring at a gray tote bag held by a member of the court staff - the one who'd determine, by lottery, if they made it inside. Pinned on bags and coats, butterfly clips honored children they'd lost, deaths these parents link to their children's experiences online. The clips were a symbolic gesture chosen to not inadvertently prejudice the jury, which would decide if social media companies could be held liable for the kinds of harms they believe their children experienced."

"While this particular case focuses on the allegedly addictive design of Instagram and YouTube, parents were brought there by a much wider range of issues, after their children died by suicide, choking challenges, and accidental overdoses they believe were facilitated or exacerbated by online platforms. Some parents in attendance had filed their own suits against the companies. More are scheduled to face trial later this year."

"A court staffer pulled a number that matched a ticket in the crowd, and the mood turned jubilant. Over days of this ritual, the reactions were similar: One mother gasped. Another danced down the hallway to collect her badge. Several times, the crowd of parents cheered when one of their numbers was called, until the court staff told them they needed to refrain."

A dozen parents competed for limited courtroom seats at a landmark social media liability trial in February, wearing butterfly clips honoring children they lost to suicide, choking challenges, and overdoses they attribute to online platforms. The case focuses on allegedly addictive design of Instagram and YouTube. Parents traveled from various locations to witness Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's testimony, believing social media companies bear responsibility for their children's deaths. The lottery system for public seating created emotional moments as parents competed for the few available spots. Multiple similar cases are scheduled for trial later in the year as parent advocates continue pursuing legal action against social media companies.

Read at The Verge