Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg may testify in landmark trial to examine if social media is addictive for kids

Jury selection in a landmark trial examining whether social media platforms are addictive for children was delayed Monday after Meta’s lead attorney fell ill, pushing back proceedings in a case that could include testimony from company founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl dismissed prospective jurors for the remainder of the day and ordered them to return at 9 a.m. local time on Thursday.

"We are hoping to move this trial forward and finish the case by the date we set," Kuhl said. "I really apologize, but this is out of anyone’s control. We know your time is important and we want to use that time well within the constraints we have."

Zuckerberg is expected to testify early in the trial, which the judge aims to wrap up by the end of March.

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The case centers on a 19-year-old California woman, identified as K.G.M., who claims the design of social media platforms encouraged addictive use starting when she was a minor. 

TikTok, Meta, Snapchat and Google’s YouTube are among the companies facing allegations in related lawsuits that their platforms contribute to a youth mental health crisis.

K.G.M. has attributed her struggles with depression and suicidal ideation to her use of the platforms and is seeking to hold the social media companies behind them accountable, according to Reuters.

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Fox News reported last week that TikTok reached a settlement on Jan. 26, just ahead of jury selection in the case. Snapchat parent company Snap also settled the case, leaving Google and Meta as the sole remaining defendants.

A Meta spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News that the company strongly disagrees with the allegations outlined in the lawsuit, and it's "confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people."

José Castañeda, a spokesperson for Google, the parent company of YouTube, told the outlet that the allegations against the platform are "simply not true."

"Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work," Castañeda said.