Sharp questions raised on Zuckerberg in US court on children's use of Insta-Facebook (Photo-X)
Reuters, Los Angeles. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platform, who appeared in the hearing of an important case related to the deteriorating mental health of children due to internet media platforms, said that the company does not allow children under the age of 13 on its platform. He also said that Meta has not designed any app to increase screen time.
However, the plaintiff's lawyer refuted his claim with evidence, on which Zuckerberg had nothing left to say. The case has been filed by a woman who has alleged that her childhood use of Instagram and YouTube adversely affected her mental health.
Plaintiff's lawyer Mark Lanier cross-examined Zuckerberg, citing his statement before Congress in 2024 and presented some internal documents of the company. These included a 2018 presentation that discussed a strategy to engage the “tween” segment.
Let us tell you that in the internal Instagram presentation in 2018, it was said that if we have to add a large number of teenagers then we will have to bring them with us as tweens.
To this, Zuckerberg said that his statement was being misrepresented and that the company considered options for safe services for children from time to time, but did not launch a separate Instagram version for those under 13 years of age.
The lawsuit also argues that the companies continued to encourage children to spend more time on their platforms. During cross-examination, emails from 2014-15 were shown, which mentioned the goal of increasing users' screen time. Zuckerberg said the company's approach has changed over time and there is now a greater emphasis on security measures.
The case is part of broader legal actions underway against internet media companies in the US. Companies like Google, Snap and TikTok are also facing similar allegations. If a Los Angeles jury rules against Meta, the company may have to pay damages and it could impact other cases as well.
It is noteworthy that the investigation of Meta's internal documents has revealed that the company was well aware of the fatal damage caused by its platforms. Meta researchers found that some teens who regularly use Instagram begin to feel bad about their bodies. Due to this, their urge to eat more starts increasing.
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