Zuckerberg set to testify in landmark social media trial
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been ordered to testify in a landmark trial in the US regarding the impact of social media on young people.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl this week rejected the argument his company, Meta Platforms, had made that an in-person appearance was unnecessary, News.Az reports citing BBC.
Her order also applies to Snap boss Evan Spiegel, as well as Adam Mosseri, who leads Meta-owned Instagram.
The trial, expected in January, is among the first to advance from a wave of litigation accusing social media companies of making their apps addictive and enticing to young people despite being aware of mental health and other risks.
Meta did not respond to a request for comment.
Law firm Kirkland & Ellis, which is representing Snap, said the decision did not "bear at all" on the truth of the claims.
It said it looked forward to the opportunity to explain why they believe the "allegations against Snapchat are wrong factually and as a matter of law".
Hundreds of claims brought by parents and school districts were consolidated into one case before the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2022.
They accuse the companies of having ineffective parental controls and weak safety features, and also say that alerts for "likes" and other responses keep young people tied to the platforms.
Meta and Snap have contested the claims, which are similar to those in a separate but similarly sprawling federal case. TikTok, owned by ByteDance, and YouTube, owned by Alphabet, are also named in the suits.
Similar news
