What just happened? Mark Zuckerberg took the stand yesterday in a case that alleges Meta platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are purposely designed to be addictive to children. One of the first things the judge did was warn anyone wearing smart glasses that recording the proceedings would result in contempt of court charges.
The case, K.G.M. v. Meta et al., involves a 20-year-old Californian identified as Kaley who claims that years of using Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat as a child led to body dysmorphia, depression, and self-destructive thoughts. TikTok and Snap Inc., Snapchat's parent company, have already settled in the case
Yesterday was Zuckerberg's turn to take the stand. The Meta CEO was escorted into the building by a team of people, at least two of whom were wearing Meta Ray-Ban glasses.
It seems that Judge Carolyn Kuhl is not a fan of smart glasses' recording abilities. She warned that anyone who uses the recording feature in court will be held in contempt.
"If you have done that, you must delete that, or you will be held in contempt of the court," Judge Kuhl said.
Forbes notes that recording and photography are prohibited in California Superior Courtrooms. Anyone caught breaking this rule can be charged with contempt of court, face monetary sanctions, or be removed from a courtroom.
The privacy concerns surrounding smart glasses have become one the most controversial aspects of the devices as their popularity grows. While Meta's Ray-Ban glasses show a blinking LED when recording, they can be modified to hide the light.
In August 2025, a TikTok user described visiting a European Wax Center in Manhattan and discovering that her aesthetician was wearing Meta Ray-Bans. The worker claimed she hadn't charged the batteries, but the incident still left the TikToker shaken. The company later said employees keep the glasses turned off during appointments.
Returning to the Meta trial, Zuckerberg admitted that some people lie about their age when signing up for Instagram, which requires users to be 13 or older.
The plaintiff's lawyers presented internal documents from 2015 that showed over 4 million Instagram users in the US were under the age of 13. Instagram did not begin requiring birthdays at sign-up until late 2019. Kaley reportedly joined Instagram when she was 9 years old.
Zuckerberg said that before 2019, the reason Instagram didn't ask for user ages was related to concerns over privacy. The Associated Press reports that he never gave a direct answer when asked if Instagram was addictive.