Meta trial: New Mexico prosecutors present video depositions of Zuckerberg, Mosseri over child safety concerns

Prosecutors in New Mexico on Tuesday began presenting never-before-seen video depositions of Meta executives in court, seeking to strengthen accusations that the social media conglomerate failed to disclose what it knew about the harmful effects of its platforms on children, including Instagram. The state has accused Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, of violating consumer protection laws.

Zuckerberg and Mosseri at the centre of the case

New Mexico prosecutors are positioning depositions from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri as central to the state’s case against Meta Platforms. Prosecutors allege that the company did not adequately address or disclose risks related to social media addiction and child sexual exploitation on its platforms.

Meta pushes back on allegations

Meta attorney Kevin Huff rejected those claims during opening statements on February 9, highlighting the company’s efforts to remove harmful content while acknowledging that some material may still evade its safeguards. He maintained that Meta discloses potential risks to users.

In court on Tuesday, jurors watched a deposition in which prosecutors questioned Mosseri about Meta’s safety policies, corporate profits, and features that may affect young users. He was asked about issues including sleep deprivation, unwanted communication with adults, and the impact of cosmetic beauty filters.

When asked whether Instagram should do everything possible to keep teens safe, Mosseri responded, “I think we should do what we can,” noting that the platform serves over 2 billion users, including millions of teens. He added that given the platform’s scale, some problematic content may still be seen.

Safety vs profits debate

Under deposition, Mosseri said that at Meta, “we will prioritise safety over profits”. Prosecutors contrasted that statement with internal audits, emails and discussions about proposed changes aimed at reducing compulsive use among teens or limiting negative social comparisons, measures that were not always implemented.

Addressing concerns about Instagram recommending teen accounts to adults, Mosseri described the company’s approach as “proportional risk mitigation”. He said Meta sought to identify and remove subsets of adults deemed potentially risky from recommendation systems.

Broader legal implications

Mosseri also spoke about the benefits of social media in connecting people globally but acknowledged that Meta platforms can sometimes generate unwanted recommendations. He cited Instagram’s “recommendations reset” feature as a response to such concerns.

The New Mexico case, along with a separate trial underway in Los Angeles, could influence thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies.

Zuckerberg testified last month in Los Angeles about young people’s use of Instagram and has previously answered questions from Congress regarding youth safety on Meta’s platforms. During his 2024 congressional testimony, he apologised to families who believed social media had contributed to tragedies affecting their loved ones, though he stopped short of accepting direct responsibility.

In earlier testimony at the California trial, Mosseri said he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms. “I’m not a scientist, but I don’t believe the latest science suggests that social media platforms are addictive,” he said.