Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced intense questioning in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday, as part of a landmark trial examining whether Meta's platforms deliberately addict and harm children. The trial, which included Zuckerberg's testimony, focused on the company's strategy regarding young users and their use of Instagram.
Zuckerberg's testimony, which took place on February 18, 2026, saw the Meta CEO answering questions about young people's use of Instagram, his congressional testimony, and internal advice he's received. According to an Associated Press report, Zuckerberg did not directly answer the central question of the case: whether Instagram is addictive. When asked by the plaintiffs attorney if people tend to use something more if it's addictive, Zuckerberg responded, "I'm not sure what to say to that. I don't think that applies here."
The trial is unprecedented, questioning whether Meta's platforms deliberately addict and harm children. Zuckerberg was reportedly "clearly getting testy" during the proceedings, as noted by NPR News. When questioned about Meta's strategy to target "teens" and "tweens," Zuckerberg stated, "That's not what I'm saying at all. I think you're misunderstanding what I..."
In other news, Les Wexner, the billionaire behind the retail empire that once included Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch, told members of Congress on Wednesday that he was "duped" by Jeffrey Epstein. Wexner denied knowing about Epstein's crimes or participating in his abuse of girls and young women. "I was naive, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein," Wexner said in a statement submitted to the House Oversight Committee.
Meanwhile, cloud-based design platform Figma announced its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings results on Wednesday. According to Fortune, the company reported revenue of $303.8 million, up 40% year over year. Investors were primed to search for signs of a continuing downturn in the SaaS sector, which has seen significant market value wiped out recently.
In a story of a different kind, animal behaviorists helped an endangered white rhino with a parasitic eye infection in Africa. Daniel Terblanche, a security manager with Imvelo Safari Lodges, stated that the plan to give the rhino eyedrops was a "completely ridiculous idea" but ultimately successful. The initiative was a collaboration with the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society in Florida.
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