🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 170 (from laksa001)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa170.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.npr.org/2026/02/18/nx-s1-5716229/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.npr.org/2026/02/18/nx-s1-5716229/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/18\/nx-s1-5716229\/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial","crawl_time":1776135682,"first_indexed_time":1771409210,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,npr!www,\/2026\/02\/18\/nx-s1-5716229\/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial s443","src_root_hash":"156162564976766770","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Mark Zuckerberg to testify at landmark social media trial : NPR","meta_descriptions":["The case is seen as a test of social media's legal responsibility for platform design features that plaintiffs' lawyers say exacerbated mental health issues in young people."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children.\nNic Coury\/AP\nhide caption\ntoggle caption\nNic Coury\/AP\nMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to be grilled on Wednesday by lawyers who say social media services like Instagram were intentionally designed as \"digital casinos\" to hook young people, fueling a teen mental health crisis.\nZuckerberg's appearance before a Los Angeles jury is the most highly anticipated of the trial. Like the rest of the proceeding, Zuckerberg's testimony will not be available by livestream.\nThe crux of the trial is one question that could have sweeping consequences for Silicon Valley: Are social media platforms \"defective products\" engineered to exploit vulnerabilities in young people's brains?\nAttorneys for the tech companies have countered that a child experiencing mental health issues after using a platform does not mean social media is responsible for the child's problems. Instead, they argue that the industry has become a scapegoat for the complex emotional issues children face that can have many root causes.\nYet lawyers for the parents suing point to internal documents at the companies stressing the goal of making social media apps difficult to put down through features like infinite scroll, auto-play, likes, beauty filters and push notifications. \"These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children,\" lawyer Mark Lanier said during the trial's opening statements. \"And they did it on purpose.\"\nThe woman at the center of the case, a 20-year-old from California known only as KGM, or Kaley, in legal documents, says she started compulsively using YouTube when she was 6 years old and later, around age 9, she began scrolling on Instagram. Kaley said her use of the platforms worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts. Jurors are expected to hear from her at length when she takes the witness stand later in the trial.\nThere's a lot at stake for the tech companies, since this is considered a test case, potentially shaping the outcome of some 1,600 other pending social media addiction cases that have been consolidated from parents of children and school districts.\nMeanwhile in New Mexico, Meta is facing a separate consumer protection trial that is now underway brought by the state's attorney general, who accuses the tech giant of failing to prevent child sexual exploitation on its platforms. It's unclear whether Zuckerberg will take the witness stand in that case.\nIn the Los Angeles trial, which is in state court, the jury needs three-fourths agreement, so 9 out of 12 jurors, to side with either KGM or the tech companies. A win for the family could lead to serious monetary damages and platform-wide changes to social media apps. The outcome of this trial is anticipated to open the door to settlement talks for the hundreds of other suits.\nFor decades, Silicon Valley has maintained a nearly impenetrable legal perimeter in the form of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that allows tech companies to avoid legal responsibility for what its users post. But in recent years, plaintiffs' lawyers have employed a novel legal tactic to get around Section 230 by bringing cases against social media companies under product liability laws akin to a manufacturer sued over a defective product.\nIn her original suit, KGM sued Meta, Google, TikTok and Snap, accusing the companies of borrowing techniques used by Big Tobacco in decades past to target young people to get them addicted, all the while ignoring internal research that their products would cause harm to teens.\nBoth TikTok and Snap settled before trial, leaving Meta and Google as the two remaining defendants.\nFor weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media.\nJulianna Arnold, whose daughter died at 17 after being lured by a predator she met on social media, has been among those attending the trial proceedings in Los Angeles. She and other parents are hoping for a verdict against the tech companies.\n\"We lost our kids, and there's nothing we can do about that. But what we can do is inform other parents and families about these harms and that these platforms are dangerous and that we need to put guardrails on these companies,\" Arnold\ntold\nNPR recently. \"And they cannot just do whatever they want when they want, how they want. And I want parents to know that these are not safe platforms for their children.\"\nGoogle is a financial sponsor of NPR.","attrs_markdown":"Accessibility links\n\n- [Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/18\/nx-s1-5716229\/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial#mainContent)\n- [Keyboard shortcuts for audio player](https:\/\/help.npr.org\/contact\/s\/article?name=what-are-the-keyboard-shortcuts-for-using-the-npr-org-audio-player)\n\n![]()\n\n****Loading****\n\n- **Hourly News**\n- **Listen Live**\n- **My Playlist**\n\n- Open Navigation Menu\n- [![NPR logo](https:\/\/media.npr.org\/chrome\/npr-logo-2026-animated.gif)](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/)\n- **![Station Logo](https:\/\/branding.npr.org\/logo\/service-logo\/logo-Color-Logo-s305.png)**\n  \n  ![WAMU 88.5 logo](https:\/\/branding.npr.org\/logo\/service-logo\/logo-Color-Logo-s305.png)\n  \n  WAMU 88.5\n  \n  - ******Listen Live****WAMU 88.5 (HD 88.5-1)******\n  - [donate](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/donations\/support)\n  - 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[![](https:\/\/media.npr.org\/chrome\/nprplus\/logo.jpg?s=100) Get NPR+](https:\/\/plus.npr.org\/?utm_medium=nprweb&source=globalsubnav)\n  - [More Podcasts & Shows](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/podcasts-and-shows\/)\n- [Search](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/search\/)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/newsletters\/)\n- [NPR Shop](https:\/\/shopnpr.org\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/cdn.optimizely.com\/img\/11107397707\/70256d3ff60441b1a8690a464256b0cc.svg)JOIN NPR+](https:\/\/plus.npr.org\/)\n- [Sign In](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/18\/nx-s1-5716229\/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial)Personalize Your Experience\n\n- [![NPR Music](https:\/\/prod-eks-static-assets.npr.org\/chrome_svg\/music-logo-dark.svg) ![NPR Music](https:\/\/prod-eks-static-assets.npr.org\/chrome_svg\/music-logo-light.svg)](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/music\/)\n- [Tiny Desk](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/tiny-desk-concerts\/)\n- [New Music Friday](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/allsongs\/606254804\/new-music-friday)\n- [All Songs Considered](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/allsongs\/)\n- [Music Features](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/music-features)\n- [Live Sessions](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/770565791\/npr-music-live-sessions)\n- [The Best Music of 2025](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/12\/10\/g-s1-99930\/best-music-of-2025)\n\n- [About NPR](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about\/)\n- [Diversity](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/diversity\/)\n- [Support](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/support\/)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/careers\/)\n- [Press](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/750003\/press-room\/)\n- [Ethics](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/ethics\/)\n\n**Mark Zuckerberg to testify at landmark social media trial** **The case is seen as a test of social media's legal responsibility for platform design features that plaintiffs' lawyers say exacerbated mental health issues in young people.**\n\n### [Technology](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/technology\/)\n# Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to face jury in landmark social media addiction trial\nFebruary 18, 20265:00 AM ET\n\nHeard on [Morning Edition](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/programs\/morning-edition\/nx-s1-5698561\/morning-edition-for-february-18-2026)\n\n[![Headshot of Bobby Allyn](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/919x919+153+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa7%2Fb7%2Fa4df31f44d5a863e95d5b54fabce%2Fbobby-allyn.JPG)](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/638550790\/bobby-allyn)\n\n[Bobby Allyn](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/people\/638550790\/bobby-allyn)\n\n#### Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to face jury in landmark social media addiction trial\n******Listen****· 3:29******\n\n3-Minute Listen\n\n****Playlist****\n\n[**Transcript**](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/transcripts\/nx-s1-5716229)\n\n**Toggle more options**\n\n- [**Download**](https:\/\/ondemand.npr.org\/anon.npr-mp3\/npr\/me\/2026\/02\/20260218_me_meta_ceo_mark_zuckerberg_to_face_jury_in_landmark_social_media_addiction_trial.mp3?t=progseg&e=nx-s1-5698561&p=3&seg=14&d=209&size=3348316&sc=siteplayer&aw_0_1st.playerid=siteplayer)\n- ****Embed****\n  **Embed**\n  \n  **`<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/nx-s1-5716229\/nx-s1-9653312\" width=\"100%\" height=\"290\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"NPR embedded audio player\">`**\n- [**Transcript**](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/transcripts\/nx-s1-5716229)\n\n![Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5439x3626+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe4%2F1a%2F5b77e7a1494cbc281205541c7a32%2Fap25364581373166.jpg)\n\nMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children.  **Nic Coury\/AP**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nNic Coury\/AP\n\nMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to be grilled on Wednesday by lawyers who say social media services like Instagram were intentionally designed as \"digital casinos\" to hook young people, fueling a teen mental health crisis.\n\nZuckerberg's appearance before a Los Angeles jury is the most highly anticipated of the trial. Like the rest of the proceeding, Zuckerberg's testimony will not be available by livestream.\n\nThe crux of the trial is one question that could have sweeping consequences for Silicon Valley: Are social media platforms \"defective products\" engineered to exploit vulnerabilities in young people's brains?\n\nSponsor Message\n\n[![This photo illustration shows the hands of a teenager holding her mobile phone and using it to access TikTok on January 31, 2024, in New York City.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3080x3080+960+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2F09%2F61cf5b884a0b9428634102dfc749%2Fgettyimages-1977638058.jpg)](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/01\/27\/nx-s1-5684196\/social-media-kids-addiction-mental-health-trial)\n\n### [Technology](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/technology\/)\n### [Meta and YouTube head to trial over harm to children after TikTok settles](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/01\/27\/nx-s1-5684196\/social-media-kids-addiction-mental-health-trial)\n\nAttorneys for the tech companies have countered that a child experiencing mental health issues after using a platform does not mean social media is responsible for the child's problems. Instead, they argue that the industry has become a scapegoat for the complex emotional issues children face that can have many root causes.\n\nYet lawyers for the parents suing point to internal documents at the companies stressing the goal of making social media apps difficult to put down through features like infinite scroll, auto-play, likes, beauty filters and push notifications. \"These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children,\" lawyer Mark Lanier said during the trial's opening statements. \"And they did it on purpose.\"\n\nThe woman at the center of the case, a 20-year-old from California known only as KGM, or Kaley, in legal documents, says she started compulsively using YouTube when she was 6 years old and later, around age 9, she began scrolling on Instagram. Kaley said her use of the platforms worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts. Jurors are expected to hear from her at length when she takes the witness stand later in the trial.\n\nThere's a lot at stake for the tech companies, since this is considered a test case, potentially shaping the outcome of some 1,600 other pending social media addiction cases that have been consolidated from parents of children and school districts.\n\nSponsor Message\n\nMeanwhile in New Mexico, Meta is facing a separate consumer protection trial that is now underway brought by the state's attorney general, who accuses the tech giant of failing to prevent child sexual exploitation on its platforms. It's unclear whether Zuckerberg will take the witness stand in that case.\n\n[![4 takeaways from the Senate child safety hearing with YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok](https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2021\/10\/26\/gettyimages-1236142148_sq-a5403c0742463d2a38d7f313f37c88d069c7ff55.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/10\/26\/1049267501\/snapchat-tiktok-youtube-congress-child-safety-hearing)\n\n### [Business](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/business\/)\n### [4 takeaways from the Senate child safety hearing with YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/10\/26\/1049267501\/snapchat-tiktok-youtube-congress-child-safety-hearing)\n\nIn the Los Angeles trial, which is in state court, the jury needs three-fourths agreement, so 9 out of 12 jurors, to side with either KGM or the tech companies. A win for the family could lead to serious monetary damages and platform-wide changes to social media apps. The outcome of this trial is anticipated to open the door to settlement talks for the hundreds of other suits.\n\n[![As Trump Targets Twitter's Legal Shield, Experts Have A Warning](https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2020\/05\/29\/ap_20149768547724_sq-deab68dc63027312b51418f888f7b9bb6e79f009.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2020\/05\/30\/865813960\/as-trump-targets-twitters-legal-shield-experts-have-a-warning)\n\n### [Technology](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/technology\/)\n### [As Trump Targets Twitter's Legal Shield, Experts Have A Warning](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2020\/05\/30\/865813960\/as-trump-targets-twitters-legal-shield-experts-have-a-warning)\n\nFor decades, Silicon Valley has maintained a nearly impenetrable legal perimeter in the form of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that allows tech companies to avoid legal responsibility for what its users post. But in recent years, plaintiffs' lawyers have employed a novel legal tactic to get around Section 230 by bringing cases against social media companies under product liability laws akin to a manufacturer sued over a defective product.\n\n[![In 1995, an online troll impersonated Ken Zeran on AOL, posting tasteless ads with his phone number. Zeran sued AOL, and lost. The person behind the ads has never been identified.](https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2021\/05\/07\/2021-04-14-zeran-90s-internet-law-jtamayo-npr_0003_sq-3a1ea000e430d6b4201e0e883a0b0b8248ed523a.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/05\/11\/994395889\/how-one-mans-fight-against-an-aol-troll-sealed-the-tech-industrys-power)\n\n### [Technology](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/technology\/)\n### [The story of Section 230 goes back to an AOL troll. Now the law may be undone](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/05\/11\/994395889\/how-one-mans-fight-against-an-aol-troll-sealed-the-tech-industrys-power)\n\nIn her original suit, KGM sued Meta, Google, TikTok and Snap, accusing the companies of borrowing techniques used by Big Tobacco in decades past to target young people to get them addicted, all the while ignoring internal research that their products would cause harm to teens.\n\nBoth TikTok and Snap settled before trial, leaving Meta and Google as the two remaining defendants.\n\nFor weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media.\n\nJulianna Arnold, whose daughter died at 17 after being lured by a predator she met on social media, has been among those attending the trial proceedings in Los Angeles. She and other parents are hoping for a verdict against the tech companies.\n\nSponsor Message\n\n\"We lost our kids, and there's nothing we can do about that. But what we can do is inform other parents and families about these harms and that these platforms are dangerous and that we need to put guardrails on these companies,\" Arnold [told](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/15\/nx-s1-5712769\/landmark-tech-trials-on-social-media-addiction-seen-through-a-mothers-eyes) NPR recently. \"And they cannot just do whatever they want when they want, how they want. And I want parents to know that these are not safe platforms for their children.\"\n\n*Google is a financial sponsor of NPR.*\n\n- [social media](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/125099514\/social-media)\n- [Mark Zuckerberg](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/132076533\/mark-zuckerberg)\n- [meta](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/135218992\/meta)\n\n- **Facebook**\n- **Flipboard**\n- **Email**\n\n###### Read & Listen\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/news\/)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/culture\/)\n- [Music](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/music\/)\n- [Podcasts & Shows](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/podcasts-and-shows)\n\n###### Connect\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/newsletters\/)\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NPR\/)\n- [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/npr\/)\n- [Press](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/750003\/press-room\/)\n- [Public Editor](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/publiceditor\/)\n- [Corrections](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/corrections\/)\n- [Transcripts](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/transcripts\/)\n- [Contact & Help](https:\/\/help.npr.org\/contact\/s\/)\n\n###### About NPR\n- [Overview](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about\/)\n- [Diversity](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/diversity\/)\n- [NPR Network](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/network\/)\n- [Accessibility](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/1136563345\/accessibility)\n- [Ethics](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/ethics\/)\n- [Finances](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/178660742\/public-radio-finances)\n\n###### Get Involved\n- [Support Public Radio](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/support\/)\n- [Sponsor NPR](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/186948703\/corporate-sponsorship)\n- [NPR Careers](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/careers\/)\n- [NPR Shop](https:\/\/shopnpr.org\/)\n- [NPR Extra](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/npr-extra\/)\n\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/179876898\/terms-of-use)\n- [Privacy](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/179878450\/privacy-policy)\n- [Your Privacy Choices](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/179878450\/privacy-policy#yourchoices)\n- [Text Only](https:\/\/text.npr.org\/)\n- © 2026 npr\n\nSponsor Message\n\nSponsor Message\n\n[Become an NPR sponsor](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/about-npr\/186948703\/corporate-sponsorship)\n\n![NPR Plus logo](https:\/\/prod-eks-static-assets.npr.org\/chrome_svg\/npr-plus\/npr-plus-combo-logo.svg)\n\n##### Exclusive benefits\n\n###### Give a little. Get a lot.\nSupport mission-driven journalism while getting something great in return. Enjoy bonus content, early access and sponsor-free listening from your favorite NPR podcasts.\n\n[Get NPR+](https:\/\/plus.npr.org\/?utm_medium=nprweb&source=mvpcta)\n\nAlready have NPR+?[Sign In](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/18\/nx-s1-5716229\/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial)\n\nClose modal\n\nBy clicking “Accept All Cookies” or continuing, you agree to the use of cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about your device to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic. This information is shared with social media, sponsorship, analytics, and other vendors or service providers. You may customize which cookies you accept in \"Cookie Settings.\"\n\nCookies Settings\n\nAccept All Cookies\n\n![NPR logo](https:\/\/cdn.cookielaw.org\/logos\/26b1c6a2-1285-46a9-a3af-3a0d7ddde52e\/82089dfe-410c-4e1b-a7f9-698174b62a86\/12f4304d-661a-4de3-80ce-82f3165cfb61\/NPR_Logo_Color.png)\n\n## Privacy Preference Center\nNPR and our service providers and vendors use cookies and similar technologies to collect information. A cookie is a string of characters that can be written to a file on the user's computer or device when the user visits a site, application, platform or service. When you visit a website or use a mobile application, a computer asks your computer or mobile device for permission to store this file on your computer or mobile device and access information from it. Information gathered through cookies may include the date and time of visits and how you are using the website. Note that if you disable or delete cookies, you may lose access to certain features of the NPR Services.\n\n**User ID:**  377229d5-8413-4bf0-a87e-648a8122704a\n\n*This User ID will be used as a unique identifier while storing and accessing your preferences for future.*\n\n**Timestamp:**  --\n\nAllow All\n\n### Manage Consent Preferences\n#### Strictly Necessary or Essential Cookies\nAlways Active\n\nThese cookies are essential to provide you with services available through the NPR Services and to enable you to use some of their features. For example, these cookies allow NPR to remember your registration information while you are logged in. Local station customization, the NPR Shop, and other interactive features also use cookies. 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We use this information to help operate the NPR Services more efficiently, to gather broad demographic information and to monitor the level of activity on the NPR Services.\n\n#### Functional Cookies\nFunctional Cookies\n\nThese cookies allow our Services to remember choices you make when you use them, such as remembering your Member station preferences and remembering your account details. The purpose of these cookies is to provide you with a more personal experience and to prevent you from having to re-enter your preferences every time you visit the NPR Services.\n\n#### Targeting and Sponsor Cookies\nTargeting and Sponsor Cookies\n\nThese cookies track your browsing habits or other information, such as location, to enable us to show sponsorship credits which are more likely to be of interest to you. These cookies use information about your browsing history to group you with other users who have similar interests. Based on that information, and with our permission, we and our sponsors can place cookies to enable us or our sponsors to show sponsorship credits and other messages that we think will be relevant to your interests while you are using third-party services.\n\n### Cookie List\nClear\n\n- checkbox label\n  \n  label\n\nApply\n\nCancel\n\nConsent Leg.Interest\n\ncheckbox label\n\nlabel\n\ncheckbox label\n\nlabel\n\ncheckbox label\n\nlabel\n\nReject All\n\nConfirm My Choices\n\n[![Powered by Onetrust](https:\/\/cdn.cookielaw.org\/logos\/static\/powered_by_logo.svg)](https:\/\/www.onetrust.com\/products\/cookie-consent\/)","attrs_readable_markdown":"![Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children.](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/5439x3626+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe4%2F1a%2F5b77e7a1494cbc281205541c7a32%2Fap25364581373166.jpg)\n\nMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children.  **Nic Coury\/AP**  ****hide caption****\n\n****toggle caption****\n\nNic Coury\/AP\n\nMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to be grilled on Wednesday by lawyers who say social media services like Instagram were intentionally designed as \"digital casinos\" to hook young people, fueling a teen mental health crisis.\n\nZuckerberg's appearance before a Los Angeles jury is the most highly anticipated of the trial. Like the rest of the proceeding, Zuckerberg's testimony will not be available by livestream.\n\nThe crux of the trial is one question that could have sweeping consequences for Silicon Valley: Are social media platforms \"defective products\" engineered to exploit vulnerabilities in young people's brains?\n\nAttorneys for the tech companies have countered that a child experiencing mental health issues after using a platform does not mean social media is responsible for the child's problems. Instead, they argue that the industry has become a scapegoat for the complex emotional issues children face that can have many root causes.\n\nYet lawyers for the parents suing point to internal documents at the companies stressing the goal of making social media apps difficult to put down through features like infinite scroll, auto-play, likes, beauty filters and push notifications. \"These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children,\" lawyer Mark Lanier said during the trial's opening statements. \"And they did it on purpose.\"\n\nThe woman at the center of the case, a 20-year-old from California known only as KGM, or Kaley, in legal documents, says she started compulsively using YouTube when she was 6 years old and later, around age 9, she began scrolling on Instagram. Kaley said her use of the platforms worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts. Jurors are expected to hear from her at length when she takes the witness stand later in the trial.\n\nThere's a lot at stake for the tech companies, since this is considered a test case, potentially shaping the outcome of some 1,600 other pending social media addiction cases that have been consolidated from parents of children and school districts.\n\nMeanwhile in New Mexico, Meta is facing a separate consumer protection trial that is now underway brought by the state's attorney general, who accuses the tech giant of failing to prevent child sexual exploitation on its platforms. It's unclear whether Zuckerberg will take the witness stand in that case.\n\nIn the Los Angeles trial, which is in state court, the jury needs three-fourths agreement, so 9 out of 12 jurors, to side with either KGM or the tech companies. A win for the family could lead to serious monetary damages and platform-wide changes to social media apps. The outcome of this trial is anticipated to open the door to settlement talks for the hundreds of other suits.\n\nFor decades, Silicon Valley has maintained a nearly impenetrable legal perimeter in the form of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that allows tech companies to avoid legal responsibility for what its users post. But in recent years, plaintiffs' lawyers have employed a novel legal tactic to get around Section 230 by bringing cases against social media companies under product liability laws akin to a manufacturer sued over a defective product.\n\nIn her original suit, KGM sued Meta, Google, TikTok and Snap, accusing the companies of borrowing techniques used by Big Tobacco in decades past to target young people to get them addicted, all the while ignoring internal research that their products would cause harm to teens.\n\nBoth TikTok and Snap settled before trial, leaving Meta and Google as the two remaining defendants.\n\nFor weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media.\n\nJulianna Arnold, whose daughter died at 17 after being lured by a predator she met on social media, has been among those attending the trial proceedings in Los Angeles. She and other parents are hoping for a verdict against the tech companies.\n\n\"We lost our kids, and there's nothing we can do about that. But what we can do is inform other parents and families about these harms and that these platforms are dangerous and that we need to put guardrails on these companies,\" Arnold [told](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/02\/15\/nx-s1-5712769\/landmark-tech-trials-on-social-media-addiction-seen-through-a-mothers-eyes) NPR recently. \"And they cannot just do whatever they want when they want, how they want. And I want parents to know that these are not safe platforms for their children.\"\n\n*Google is a financial sponsor of NPR.*","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children. Nic Coury/AP hide caption toggle caption Nic Coury/AP Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to be grilled on Wednesday by lawyers who say social media services like Instagram were intentionally designed as "digital casinos" to hook young people, fueling a teen mental health crisis. Zuckerberg's appearance before a Los Angeles jury is the most highly anticipated of the trial. Like the rest of the proceeding, Zuckerberg's testimony will not be available by livestream. The crux of the trial is one question that could have sweeping consequences for Silicon Valley: Are social media platforms "defective products" engineered to exploit vulnerabilities in young people's brains? Attorneys for the tech companies have countered that a child experiencing mental health issues after using a platform does not mean social media is responsible for the child's problems. Instead, they argue that the industry has become a scapegoat for the complex emotional issues children face that can have many root causes. Yet lawyers for the parents suing point to internal documents at the companies stressing the goal of making social media apps difficult to put down through features like infinite scroll, auto-play, likes, beauty filters and push notifications. "These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children," lawyer Mark Lanier said during the trial's opening statements. "And they did it on purpose." The woman at the center of the case, a 20-year-old from California known only as KGM, or Kaley, in legal documents, says she started compulsively using YouTube when she was 6 years old and later, around age 9, she began scrolling on Instagram. Kaley said her use of the platforms worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts. Jurors are expected to hear from her at length when she takes the witness stand later in the trial. There's a lot at stake for the tech companies, since this is considered a test case, potentially shaping the outcome of some 1,600 other pending social media addiction cases that have been consolidated from parents of children and school districts. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Meta is facing a separate consumer protection trial that is now underway brought by the state's attorney general, who accuses the tech giant of failing to prevent child sexual exploitation on its platforms. It's unclear whether Zuckerberg will take the witness stand in that case. In the Los Angeles trial, which is in state court, the jury needs three-fourths agreement, so 9 out of 12 jurors, to side with either KGM or the tech companies. A win for the family could lead to serious monetary damages and platform-wide changes to social media apps. The outcome of this trial is anticipated to open the door to settlement talks for the hundreds of other suits. For decades, Silicon Valley has maintained a nearly impenetrable legal perimeter in the form of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that allows tech companies to avoid legal responsibility for what its users post. But in recent years, plaintiffs' lawyers have employed a novel legal tactic to get around Section 230 by bringing cases against social media companies under product liability laws akin to a manufacturer sued over a defective product. In her original suit, KGM sued Meta, Google, TikTok and Snap, accusing the companies of borrowing techniques used by Big Tobacco in decades past to target young people to get them addicted, all the while ignoring internal research that their products would cause harm to teens. Both TikTok and Snap settled before trial, leaving Meta and Google as the two remaining defendants. For weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media. Julianna Arnold, whose daughter died at 17 after being lured by a predator she met on social media, has been among those attending the trial proceedings in Los Angeles. She and other parents are hoping for a verdict against the tech companies. "We lost our kids, and there's nothing we can do about that. But what we can do is inform other parents and families about these harms and that these platforms are dangerous and that we need to put guardrails on these companies," Arnold told NPR recently. "And they cannot just do whatever they want when they want, how they want. And I want parents to know that these are not safe platforms for their children." Google is a financial sponsor of NPR.
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[![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2022/10/24/pm_new_tile_2022_sq-e543deddd0a46a98be481b46e6a72efa6b52236f-s100-c100.jpg) Planet Money](https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money) - [![](https://media.npr.org/chrome/nprplus/logo.jpg?s=100) Get NPR+](https://plus.npr.org/?utm_medium=nprweb&source=globalsubnav) - [More Podcasts & Shows](https://www.npr.org/podcasts-and-shows/) - [Search](https://www.npr.org/search/) - [Newsletters](https://www.npr.org/newsletters/) - [NPR Shop](https://shopnpr.org/) - [![](https://cdn.optimizely.com/img/11107397707/70256d3ff60441b1a8690a464256b0cc.svg)JOIN NPR+](https://plus.npr.org/) - [Sign In](https://www.npr.org/2026/02/18/nx-s1-5716229/zuckerberg-social-media-addiction-trial)Personalize Your Experience - [![NPR Music](https://prod-eks-static-assets.npr.org/chrome_svg/music-logo-dark.svg) ![NPR Music](https://prod-eks-static-assets.npr.org/chrome_svg/music-logo-light.svg)](https://www.npr.org/music/) - [Tiny Desk](https://www.npr.org/series/tiny-desk-concerts/) - [New Music Friday](https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/606254804/new-music-friday) - [All Songs Considered](https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/) - [Music Features](https://www.npr.org/sections/music-features) - [Live Sessions](https://www.npr.org/series/770565791/npr-music-live-sessions) - [The Best Music of 2025](https://www.npr.org/2025/12/10/g-s1-99930/best-music-of-2025) - [About NPR](https://www.npr.org/about/) - [Diversity](https://www.npr.org/diversity/) - [Support](https://www.npr.org/support/) - [Careers](https://www.npr.org/careers/) - [Press](https://www.npr.org/series/750003/press-room/) - [Ethics](https://www.npr.org/ethics/) Mark Zuckerberg to testify at landmark social media trial The case is seen as a test of social media's legal responsibility for platform design features that plaintiffs' lawyers say exacerbated mental health issues in young people. ### [Technology](https://www.npr.org/sections/technology/) # Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to face jury in landmark social media addiction trial February 18, 20265:00 AM ET Heard on [Morning Edition](https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/nx-s1-5698561/morning-edition-for-february-18-2026) [![Headshot of Bobby Allyn](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/919x919+153+0/resize/100/quality/85/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa7%2Fb7%2Fa4df31f44d5a863e95d5b54fabce%2Fbobby-allyn.JPG)](https://www.npr.org/people/638550790/bobby-allyn) [Bobby Allyn](https://www.npr.org/people/638550790/bobby-allyn) #### Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to face jury in landmark social media addiction trial **Listen· 3:29** 3-Minute Listen Playlist [Transcript](https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5716229) Toggle more options - [Download](https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2026/02/20260218_me_meta_ceo_mark_zuckerberg_to_face_jury_in_landmark_social_media_addiction_trial.mp3?t=progseg&e=nx-s1-5698561&p=3&seg=14&d=209&size=3348316&sc=siteplayer&aw_0_1st.playerid=siteplayer) - Embed Embed `<iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5716229/nx-s1-9653312" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">` - [Transcript](https://www.npr.org/transcripts/nx-s1-5716229) ![Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5439x3626+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe4%2F1a%2F5b77e7a1494cbc281205541c7a32%2Fap25364581373166.jpg) Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children. Nic Coury/AP hide caption toggle caption** Nic Coury/AP Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to be grilled on Wednesday by lawyers who say social media services like Instagram were intentionally designed as "digital casinos" to hook young people, fueling a teen mental health crisis. Zuckerberg's appearance before a Los Angeles jury is the most highly anticipated of the trial. Like the rest of the proceeding, Zuckerberg's testimony will not be available by livestream. The crux of the trial is one question that could have sweeping consequences for Silicon Valley: Are social media platforms "defective products" engineered to exploit vulnerabilities in young people's brains? Sponsor Message [![This photo illustration shows the hands of a teenager holding her mobile phone and using it to access TikTok on January 31, 2024, in New York City.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3080x3080+960+0/resize/100/quality/85/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2F09%2F61cf5b884a0b9428634102dfc749%2Fgettyimages-1977638058.jpg)](https://www.npr.org/2026/01/27/nx-s1-5684196/social-media-kids-addiction-mental-health-trial) ### [Technology](https://www.npr.org/sections/technology/) ### [Meta and YouTube head to trial over harm to children after TikTok settles](https://www.npr.org/2026/01/27/nx-s1-5684196/social-media-kids-addiction-mental-health-trial) Attorneys for the tech companies have countered that a child experiencing mental health issues after using a platform does not mean social media is responsible for the child's problems. Instead, they argue that the industry has become a scapegoat for the complex emotional issues children face that can have many root causes. Yet lawyers for the parents suing point to internal documents at the companies stressing the goal of making social media apps difficult to put down through features like infinite scroll, auto-play, likes, beauty filters and push notifications. "These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children," lawyer Mark Lanier said during the trial's opening statements. "And they did it on purpose." The woman at the center of the case, a 20-year-old from California known only as KGM, or Kaley, in legal documents, says she started compulsively using YouTube when she was 6 years old and later, around age 9, she began scrolling on Instagram. Kaley said her use of the platforms worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts. Jurors are expected to hear from her at length when she takes the witness stand later in the trial. There's a lot at stake for the tech companies, since this is considered a test case, potentially shaping the outcome of some 1,600 other pending social media addiction cases that have been consolidated from parents of children and school districts. Sponsor Message Meanwhile in New Mexico, Meta is facing a separate consumer protection trial that is now underway brought by the state's attorney general, who accuses the tech giant of failing to prevent child sexual exploitation on its platforms. It's unclear whether Zuckerberg will take the witness stand in that case. [![4 takeaways from the Senate child safety hearing with YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2021/10/26/gettyimages-1236142148_sq-a5403c0742463d2a38d7f313f37c88d069c7ff55.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)](https://www.npr.org/2021/10/26/1049267501/snapchat-tiktok-youtube-congress-child-safety-hearing) ### [Business](https://www.npr.org/sections/business/) ### [4 takeaways from the Senate child safety hearing with YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok](https://www.npr.org/2021/10/26/1049267501/snapchat-tiktok-youtube-congress-child-safety-hearing) In the Los Angeles trial, which is in state court, the jury needs three-fourths agreement, so 9 out of 12 jurors, to side with either KGM or the tech companies. A win for the family could lead to serious monetary damages and platform-wide changes to social media apps. The outcome of this trial is anticipated to open the door to settlement talks for the hundreds of other suits. [![As Trump Targets Twitter's Legal Shield, Experts Have A Warning](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2020/05/29/ap_20149768547724_sq-deab68dc63027312b51418f888f7b9bb6e79f009.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)](https://www.npr.org/2020/05/30/865813960/as-trump-targets-twitters-legal-shield-experts-have-a-warning) ### [Technology](https://www.npr.org/sections/technology/) ### [As Trump Targets Twitter's Legal Shield, Experts Have A Warning](https://www.npr.org/2020/05/30/865813960/as-trump-targets-twitters-legal-shield-experts-have-a-warning) For decades, Silicon Valley has maintained a nearly impenetrable legal perimeter in the form of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that allows tech companies to avoid legal responsibility for what its users post. But in recent years, plaintiffs' lawyers have employed a novel legal tactic to get around Section 230 by bringing cases against social media companies under product liability laws akin to a manufacturer sued over a defective product. [![In 1995, an online troll impersonated Ken Zeran on AOL, posting tasteless ads with his phone number. Zeran sued AOL, and lost. The person behind the ads has never been identified.](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2021/05/07/2021-04-14-zeran-90s-internet-law-jtamayo-npr_0003_sq-3a1ea000e430d6b4201e0e883a0b0b8248ed523a.jpg?s=100&c=85&f=jpeg)](https://www.npr.org/2021/05/11/994395889/how-one-mans-fight-against-an-aol-troll-sealed-the-tech-industrys-power) ### [Technology](https://www.npr.org/sections/technology/) ### [The story of Section 230 goes back to an AOL troll. Now the law may be undone](https://www.npr.org/2021/05/11/994395889/how-one-mans-fight-against-an-aol-troll-sealed-the-tech-industrys-power) In her original suit, KGM sued Meta, Google, TikTok and Snap, accusing the companies of borrowing techniques used by Big Tobacco in decades past to target young people to get them addicted, all the while ignoring internal research that their products would cause harm to teens. Both TikTok and Snap settled before trial, leaving Meta and Google as the two remaining defendants. For weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media. Julianna Arnold, whose daughter died at 17 after being lured by a predator she met on social media, has been among those attending the trial proceedings in Los Angeles. She and other parents are hoping for a verdict against the tech companies. Sponsor Message "We lost our kids, and there's nothing we can do about that. But what we can do is inform other parents and families about these harms and that these platforms are dangerous and that we need to put guardrails on these companies," Arnold [told](https://www.npr.org/2026/02/15/nx-s1-5712769/landmark-tech-trials-on-social-media-addiction-seen-through-a-mothers-eyes) NPR recently. "And they cannot just do whatever they want when they want, how they want. And I want parents to know that these are not safe platforms for their children." 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Readable Markdown	![Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5439x3626+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe4%2F1a%2F5b77e7a1494cbc281205541c7a32%2Fap25364581373166.jpg) Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify Wednesday in a major lawsuit against social media companies that claims their products are defective and harmful to children. Nic Coury/AP **hide caption toggle caption** Nic Coury/AP Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to be grilled on Wednesday by lawyers who say social media services like Instagram were intentionally designed as "digital casinos" to hook young people, fueling a teen mental health crisis. Zuckerberg's appearance before a Los Angeles jury is the most highly anticipated of the trial. Like the rest of the proceeding, Zuckerberg's testimony will not be available by livestream. The crux of the trial is one question that could have sweeping consequences for Silicon Valley: Are social media platforms "defective products" engineered to exploit vulnerabilities in young people's brains? Attorneys for the tech companies have countered that a child experiencing mental health issues after using a platform does not mean social media is responsible for the child's problems. Instead, they argue that the industry has become a scapegoat for the complex emotional issues children face that can have many root causes. Yet lawyers for the parents suing point to internal documents at the companies stressing the goal of making social media apps difficult to put down through features like infinite scroll, auto-play, likes, beauty filters and push notifications. "These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children," lawyer Mark Lanier said during the trial's opening statements. "And they did it on purpose." The woman at the center of the case, a 20-year-old from California known only as KGM, or Kaley, in legal documents, says she started compulsively using YouTube when she was 6 years old and later, around age 9, she began scrolling on Instagram. Kaley said her use of the platforms worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts. Jurors are expected to hear from her at length when she takes the witness stand later in the trial. There's a lot at stake for the tech companies, since this is considered a test case, potentially shaping the outcome of some 1,600 other pending social media addiction cases that have been consolidated from parents of children and school districts. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Meta is facing a separate consumer protection trial that is now underway brought by the state's attorney general, who accuses the tech giant of failing to prevent child sexual exploitation on its platforms. It's unclear whether Zuckerberg will take the witness stand in that case. In the Los Angeles trial, which is in state court, the jury needs three-fourths agreement, so 9 out of 12 jurors, to side with either KGM or the tech companies. A win for the family could lead to serious monetary damages and platform-wide changes to social media apps. The outcome of this trial is anticipated to open the door to settlement talks for the hundreds of other suits. For decades, Silicon Valley has maintained a nearly impenetrable legal perimeter in the form of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that allows tech companies to avoid legal responsibility for what its users post. But in recent years, plaintiffs' lawyers have employed a novel legal tactic to get around Section 230 by bringing cases against social media companies under product liability laws akin to a manufacturer sued over a defective product. In her original suit, KGM sued Meta, Google, TikTok and Snap, accusing the companies of borrowing techniques used by Big Tobacco in decades past to target young people to get them addicted, all the while ignoring internal research that their products would cause harm to teens. Both TikTok and Snap settled before trial, leaving Meta and Google as the two remaining defendants. For weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media. Julianna Arnold, whose daughter died at 17 after being lured by a predator she met on social media, has been among those attending the trial proceedings in Los Angeles. She and other parents are hoping for a verdict against the tech companies. "We lost our kids, and there's nothing we can do about that. But what we can do is inform other parents and families about these harms and that these platforms are dangerous and that we need to put guardrails on these companies," Arnold [told](https://www.npr.org/2026/02/15/nx-s1-5712769/landmark-tech-trials-on-social-media-addiction-seen-through-a-mothers-eyes) NPR recently. "And they cannot just do whatever they want when they want, how they want. And I want parents to know that these are not safe platforms for their children." Google is a financial sponsor of NPR.
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