Prosecutors in New Mexico began presenting never-before-seen video depositions of Meta executives at a trial on Tuesday, aiming to bolster accusations that the social media conglomerate failed to disclose what it knows about harmful effects to children on its platforms, including Instagram.
The depositions from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are being billed as centrepieces of the state's case against Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Prosecutors have accused Meta of violating state consumer protection laws, arguing that the dangers of addiction to social media and child sexual exploitation on Meta's platforms were not properly addressed or disclosed.
Meta attorney Kevin Huff pushed back during opening statements on 9 February, highlighting efforts to weed out harmful content while warning users that some content still gets through its safety net. He said Meta discloses the risks.
The New Mexico case and a separate trial in Los Angeles could set the course for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies. Zuckerberg testified last month in Los Angeles about young people’s use of Instagram and has answered questions from Congress about youth safety. During his 2024 congressional testimony, he apologised to families affected by tragedies they believed were caused by social media, but stopped short of taking direct responsibility. Mosseri testified in California that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms.
