Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify in landmark social media addiction trial

Zuckerberg's testimony comes as plaintiffs accuse social media platforms of knowingly designing addictive products harmful to young users' mental health

Feb. 21, 2026 at 8:07pm

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to take the stand on Wednesday in a landmark trial that could set a precedent for whether social media platforms are responsible for harming children. It's the first of a consolidated group of cases from over 1,600 plaintiffs, including over 350 families and over 250 school districts, who accuse the owners of Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Snap of knowingly designing addictive products harmful to young users' mental health.

Why it matters

This trial could have far-reaching implications for the legal liability of social media companies regarding the mental health impacts of their platforms, especially on young users. It comes as concerns about social media addiction and its effects on youth have grown significantly in recent years.

The details

The plaintiffs allege that social media companies made deliberate design choices to make their platforms more addictive to children for purposes of profit. TikTok and Snap have already reached a settlement with the first plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman who claims her early use of social media led to addiction and worsened her mental health problems. The remaining defendants, including Meta, are expected to argue that they are shielded from liability by Section 230 of the Communications Act.

  • The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
  • Last week, Adam Mosseri, the head of Meta's Instagram, defended the platform in court, arguing that social media platforms are not intentionally engineered to be addictive.

The players

Mark Zuckerberg

The CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms.

Matthew P. Bergman

The founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, which is representing about 750 plaintiffs in the California proceeding and about 500 in the federal proceeding.

K.G.M.

A 20-year-old woman who was a minor at the time of the incidents outlined in her lawsuit, which claims her early use of social media led to addiction and worsened her mental health problems.

Mark Lanier

The attorney representing K.G.M.

Adam Mosseri

The head of Meta's Instagram.

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What they’re saying

“For the first time, a Meta CEO will have to sit before a jury, under oath, and explain why the company released a product its own safety teams warned were addictive and harmful to children.”

— Matthew P. Bergman, Founding attorney of Social Media Victims Law Center

“They deserve the truth about what company executives knew. And they deserve accountability from the people who chose growth and engagement over the safety of their children.”

— Matthew P. Bergman, Founding attorney of Social Media Victims Law Center

“I'm sorry for everything you've all gone through. It's terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered.”

— Mark Zuckerberg (Senate hearing)

What’s next

The judge will hear arguments and evidence presented during the trial, which is expected to last several weeks. A jury will then decide whether the social media companies are liable for the harm caused to young users.

The takeaway

This landmark trial could set a precedent for holding social media companies accountable for the mental health impacts of their platforms, particularly on vulnerable youth. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for the tech industry and how it designs and operates social media products.