LOS ANGELES, United States, Feb 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday he regretted Meta's slow progress in identifying underage users on Instagram, as he faced stinging criticism at a landmark social media trial over accusations that his company deliberately hooked children. Zuckerberg was the most hotly anticipated witness in the California trial, the first in a series of lawsuits filed by American families against social media platforms. The 12 jurors in Los Angeles heard the increasingly testy testimony as plaintiff lawyer Mark Lanier pressed Zuckerberg on age verification and the tycoon's guiding philosophy for making decisions at the vast social media company he controls. Zuckerberg said that "we're in the right place now" when it comes to age verification. The case is expected to establish a standard for resolving thousands of lawsuits that blame social media for fueling an epidemic of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicide among young people.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha February 19, 2026 04:29 UTC