Ammon News - Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday repeatedly said during a landmark trial over youth social media addiction that the Facebook and Instagram operator does not allow kids under 13 on its platforms, despite being confronted with evidence suggesting they were a key demographic.

Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the woman suing Instagram and Google's YouTube for harming her mental health when she was a child, pressed Zuckerberg over his statement to Congress in 2024 that users under 13 are not allowed on the platform. Lanier confronted Zuckerberg with internal Meta documents.

The case involves a California woman who started using Instagram and YouTube as a child. She alleges the companies sought to profit by hooking kids on their services despite knowing social media could harm their mental health. She alleges the apps fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts and is seeking to hold the companies liable.

Meta and Google have denied the allegations, and pointed to their work to add features that keep users safe.

Zuckerberg replied that Lanier was "mischaracterising what I am saying." The CEO said Meta has "had different conversations over time to try to build different versions of services that kids can safely use." For example, he said Meta discussed creating a version of Instagram for children under 13, but ultimately never did.

Meta faces potential damages at the jury trial in Los Angeles, part of a wave of litigation against social media companies in the U.S., where cases are beginning to go to trial amid a broader global backlash over the platforms' effect on young users.

Meta's rivals Snap and TikTok settled with the plaintiff before the trial kicked off last week.

Reuters