The judge overseeing a lawsuit alleging Meta platforms like Instagram and Facebook are designed to be addictive to children directly called out Meta’s smart glasses in court Wednesday during Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony, saying the use of the product’s recording feature by anyone in the courtroom would result in a contempt charge.
Key Takeaways
- “If you have done that, you must delete that, or you will be held in contempt of the court,” Judge Carolyn Kuhl said, according to CNBC, which noted that personnel who escorted Zuckerberg into the courtroom Wednesday were pictured wearing the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses.
- Recording and photography are prohibited in California Superior Courtrooms and can result in contempt charges, monetary sanctions or removal from a courtroom.
- The glasses feature a blinking LED light when recording, though there are modifications and loopholes that can be used to capture video without the light being turned on.
- Meta has denied the allegations in the lawsuit filed by a 20-year-old woman, who has said her use of social media as a child led to a technology addiction that fueled her depression and caused suicidal thoughts.
- An attorney for the woman spent a considerable length of time questioning Zuckerberg about Meta’s age verification policies, according to the Associated Press, prompting the billionaire CEO to reiterate restrictions his company has against users under the age of 13.
Crucial Quote
“I always wish that we could have gotten there sooner,” Zuckerberg said in court Wednesday, referring to Meta’s issues identifying underage users.
What To Watch For
Meta’s trial is expected to last for several weeks and has already included testimony from Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who insisted last week the social media app actively works to protect young people. Former Meta employees are expected to testify in the coming weeks as the 12-person jury needs a three-fourths agreement to side with the plaintiff or Meta.
Key Background
The lawsuit against Meta and YouTube initially included TikTok and Snap, though the latter two companies settled last month for an undisclosed amount. The lawsuit marks a landmark case concerning Meta and YouTube’s policies and safeguards and how they have allegedly fueled a mental health crisis among teens.
The result of the case could set precedent for well over 1,000 similar social media addiction cases around the country, NPR reported, noting the outcome is anticipated to break open settlement talks for the other lawsuits. Meta has had long-documented issues protecting young people on its platforms, with internal documents reported by The New York Times revealing company executives were aware their apps were contributing to mental health crises among children and teens.
Prosecutors have alleged Meta’s sign-up process for new accounts has enabled children to easily lie about their age and that Meta’s knowledge that millions of Instagram users are under 13 years old “is an open secret that is routinely documented, rigorously analyzed and confirmed, and zealously protected from disclosure to the public.”
This story was originally published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
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