Meta, Snap face trial over allegedly addictive features for teens

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been ordered to testify in a historic trial in the United States concerning the impact of social media on young people, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl this week rejected Meta’s argument that a personal appearance by Zuckerberg was unnecessary.

The order also applies to Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, both of whom must testify.

The trial, scheduled for January, is one of the first stemming from a wave of lawsuits accusing social media companies of intentionally making their apps addictive to youth, despite being aware of the mental health risks and other dangers.

Meta declined to comment. Snap’s legal firm, Kirkland & Ellis, said the judge’s decision was not related to the truth of the claims and expressed confidence in disproving the accusations against Snapchat.

Hundreds of complaints filed by parents and school districts were consolidated into a single case in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2022. Plaintiffs allege that:

Companies have ineffective parental controls and weak safety features.

Features like likes and notifications keep teens hooked.

The companies ignored known harms to protect profits.

Meta and Snap deny the claims, which are similar to those in a separate federal lawsuit. TikTok and YouTube (owned by Alphabet) are also named in related cases.

Tech firms argue that federal law shields them from responsibility for content posted by users, under a 1990s law. However, the judge ruled that the companies must still face claims of negligence and personal injury related to app design.

Lawyers representing the children and their parents argue the companies chose not to make design changes due to fear of business losses.

Meta claimed that Zuckerberg and Mosseri had already been deposed and that personal court appearances would be a "significant burden" and disruptive to business.

But Judge Kuhl wrote that live testimony from company leaders is crucial in assessing the claims.

“The testimony of a CEO is especially important,” said the judge, noting their knowledge of potential harm and failure to act could help establish negligence.

Beasley Allen, a law firm leading the suit against social media companies, welcomed the decision:

“We look forward to the trial and to holding these companies and their executives accountable for the harm caused to countless children,” a spokesperson said.