Zuckerberg says he reached out to Apple CEO about teen safety

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in Los Angeles Superior Court on February 18, saying he contacted Apple CEO Tim Cook in 2018 to discuss youth well-being.

Zuckerberg said the email exchange was part of efforts to explore ways both companies could improve safety for teens and children on social media.

During the trial, which focuses on allegations that social platforms harm young users, Zuckerberg highlighted that increasing engagement on Instagram was not a company goal.

He also acknowledged that some users lie about their age, and the platform removes identified underage users, though some under 13 reportedly still use Instagram.

Zuckerberg discussed consulting with stakeholders on beauty filters, which some studies link to negative effects on teenage girls, but he prioritized free expression.

The court also warned against using AI glasses during the session, and Zuckerberg addressed questions about platform addiction and company policies on underage users.

🔗 Source: CNBC

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Zuckerberg’s testimony supports a legal push to get around tech’s liability shield

The trial serves as an early test, and the verdict could sway thousands of similar lawsuits from families and school districts targeting social media firms 1.
Plaintiffs argue the damage comes from intentional product features such as infinite scroll and autoplay, not from third-party content 2.
The case aims to work around Section 230, a US law that usually protects online platforms from legal claims tied to user posts 2.
Plaintiffs cite Meta’s internal documents, including messages described as engineers joking about being “drug pushers LOL” and likening Instagram to drugs, gambling, and Big Tobacco 2.

Product tweaks driven by lawsuits draw quick, public checks

Facing legal heat, Meta rolled out “Teen Accounts” to shape age-appropriate experiences and limit unwanted contact, including tighter rules on who can message teens 3.
Those updates also invite close review from researchers and whistleblowers who track how the youth-safety tools hold up in day-to-day use.
One recent analysis found 64% of the Instagram safety tools it examined were ineffective, easy to bypass, or discontinued, and it found adults could message some teens who did not follow them, though it said Meta fixed that issue after testing ended 4.
Another study added to doubts when nearly 60% of teen users ages 13 to 15 reported unsafe content and unwanted messages on Instagram within the prior six months, even with the new protections 5.