Meta CEO Defends Platform Design Against Addiction Claims
Mark Zuckerberg executed his first courtroom protocol appearance in a landmark social media addiction trial, positioning Meta's defense framework around value optimization, not dependency exploitation.
"You should try and create something useful and if you do, people will naturally want to use it," Zuckerberg stated. "To me, the north star is ensuring we're delivering value and people are having a positive experience. If that happens, people will spend more time with social media."
The Meta founder appeared before Los Angeles Superior Court to address claims that his platforms deploy engineered addiction protocols.
Comparative Metrics Analysis
Zuckerberg deployed comparative analytics, positioning social media time allocation alongside traditional entertainment vectors like television consumption. "TV hasn't got better over time but social media has quite a bit."
Plaintiff protocols challenged this assertion, arguing that platform stickiness derives from addiction algorithms rather than iterative improvements.
When questioned on corporate ethics regarding user exploitation, Zuckerberg responded that reasonable entities should optimize user experience. He referenced Meta's evolved control systems, including automated account termination protocols for users below thirteen years.
Revenue Distribution Data
Zuckerberg reinforced his position with demographic revenue analytics, noting that sub-1% of Instagram's revenue streams from teenage users. He emphasized this demographic's limited purchasing power creates minimal advertiser attraction, making teen acquisition "not meaningful in the short term" from business optimization perspectives.
Meta joins Google as remaining defendants after TikTok and Snapchat executed settlement protocols prior to trial initiation.
Snapchat confirmed "amicable" settlement completion. YouTube, operating under Google's governance structure, argues its platform architecture differs fundamentally from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, requesting separate litigation processing.
Case Origin Protocol
The California Supreme Court case originated when plaintiff K.G.M., aged 19, argued that social media platforms knowingly deployed addiction-optimized design patterns targeting younger user demographics. Defense protocols assert Meta engineers addictive interfaces to "maximize young users' time on their platforms to drive revenue."
Common Sense Media data indicates teenagers allocate nine hours daily to entertainment media consumption, while 8-12 year demographics average six hours, excluding educational media usage.
Regulatory Implications
Meta's defense strategy could influence future social media platform governance protocols depending on trial outcomes.
The courtroom implemented strict recording restrictions, banning camera systems and capture-enabled eyewear. Judge Carolyn Kuhl warned that AI-enabled facial recognition glasses used to record jurors would result in contempt charges, requiring immediate data deletion.