Los Angeles, 22 October (H.S.): A California judge on Monday ordered Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify in person in a landmark trial concerning the impact of social media on young people's mental health.
The ruling by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl also compels testimony from Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Instagram head Adam Mosseri in the trial, which is scheduled for January.Judge Kuhl rejected arguments from Meta that an in-person appearance by its chief executive would be an unnecessary substantial burden, stating that a CEO's testimony is uniquely relevant. She wrote that their knowledge of harms and failure to take available steps to avoid such harms is central to evaluating claims of negligence against the company.
The upcoming trial is among the first to emerge from hundreds of lawsuits brought by parents and school districts, which were consolidated into a single case in 2022. The plaintiffs accuse Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube of designing addictive applications with weak safety features, despite being aware of the mental health risks posed to young users.
The lawsuits allege that features like like notifications are designed to keep young people compulsively tied to the platforms.
While Meta did not comment on the ruling, the law firm representing Snap stated the decision does not validate the claims and that they will prove the allegations are wrong factually and as a matter of law.
The tech companies have previously argued that federal law protects them from liability for content posted on their platforms, but the judge ruled they must still face claims of negligence related to their apps' design.
The ruling represents a significant development in the growing legal and political scrutiny facing social media companies over their effect on youth well-being. During congressional testimony last year, Zuckerberg defended his company's safety measures and asserted that scientific research has not shown a causal link between using social media and young people having worse mental health.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
