Zuckerberg testifies at social media addiction trial

"Beginning his questioning, the plaintiff's attorney Mark Lanier laid out three options of what people can do regarding vulnerable people: help them, ignore them, or "prey upon them and use them for our own ends." Zuckerberg said he agrees the last option is not what a reasonable company should do, saying, "I think a reasonable company should try to help the people that use its services.""

"Lanier also asked Zuckerberg about what he characterized as extensive media training, including for testimonies like the one he was giving in court. Lanier pointed to an internal document about feedback on Zuckerberg's tone of voice on his own social media, imploring him to come off as "authentic, direct, human, insightful and real," and instructing him to "not try hard, fake, robotic, corporate or cheesy" in his communication."

"Zuckerberg's testimony is part of an unprecedented social media trial that questions whether Meta's platforms deliberately addict and harm children. Attorneys representing the plaintiff, a now 20-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, claim her early use of social media addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which TikTok and Snap have settled."

Mark Zuckerberg faced questioning in a Los Angeles courtroom about young people's use of Instagram, his congressional testimony, and internal guidance to present as "authentic" rather than "robotic." The testimony is part of an unprecedented trial examining whether Meta's platforms deliberately addict and harm children. The plaintiff, identified as KGM, contends early social media use addicted her and worsened depression and suicidal thoughts. Meta and Google's YouTube remain defendants while TikTok and Snap settled. Plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier framed choices for companies as helping, ignoring, or preying on vulnerable people; Zuckerberg said a reasonable company should try to help users. Zuckerberg said he pledged to give "almost all" his money to charity and disputed characterizations about pledges to victims.

Read at Fast Company