Zuckerberg dodged accountability on children's harm, media addiction activist group says

Record ID: 2342486

  • Title: Zuckerberg dodged accountability on children's harm, media addiction activist group says
  • Date: 20th February 2026
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 19, 2026) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) JULIE SCELFO, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAMA, MOTHERS AGAINST MEDIA ADDICTION, SAYING: "It's wonderful that Instagram is also claiming that they are doing things to make the product safer for young people. I don't trust them, and we know, we've seen with the other industries, whe
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  • Keywords: Instagram Mark Zuckerberg Meta Mothers Against Media Addiction parents social media trial
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES/ MENLO PARK AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES/ SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
  • City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES/ MENLO PARK AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES/ SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions,North America
  • Reuters ID: LVA007699819022026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A leading parent advocacy group criticized Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony at a landmark trial over youth social media addiction, accusing him of evasion and downplaying the platform’s impact on children’s mental health.
    Julie Scelfo, founder and executive director of nonprofit advocacy group Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA), said Zuckerberg was not truthful in his testimony about the risks posed to young users.
    "Mark Zuckerberg resorted to spinning, evading, or outright lying, because he absolutely knows the harm that his product has caused for children. I honestly just don't even know how he sleeps at night. You know, this has been going on for years and so many people have worked so hard to bring these problems to his attention," Scelfo told Reuters on Thursday (February 19).
    Testifying on Wednesday (February 18), Zuckerberg repeatedly said that the Facebook and Instagram operator does not allow children under 13 on its platforms, despite being confronted with evidence suggesting they were a key demographic.
    Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the woman suing Instagram and Google's YouTube for harming her mental health when she was a child, pressed Zuckerberg over his statement to Congress in 2024 that users under 13 are not allowed on the platform. Lanier confronted Zuckerberg with internal Meta documents.
    The case involves a California woman who started using Instagram and YouTube as a child. She alleges the companies sought to profit by hooking kids on their services despite knowing social media could harm their mental health. She alleges the apps fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts and is seeking to hold the companies liable.
    Meta and Google have denied the allegations, and pointed to their work to add features that keep users safe.
    (Production: Andrew Hofstetter, Roselle Chen, Jane Ross)
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