Exclusive | Mark Zuckerbergs Meta tried to delay posting bond for $4.2M damages in landmark teen addiction case

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta tried to delay posting bond for millions of dollars in damages after it was found liable for teen social media addiction in a landmark California court verdict last month, according to legal documents reviewed by The Post.In what experts called a “Big Tobacco” moment for social media, a California state jury ordered Meta and Google to pay a combined $6 million in damages to a woman identified as KGM, who alleged Instagram and YouTube fueled her downward spiral of anxiety and depression. Meta, which boasts a staggering $1.7 trillion market capitalization, nevertheless asked the court for a free pass on the payment — arguing it shouldn’t have to put up a bond for the full amount while it fights the ruling with post-trial motions, according to an April 7 filing.Judge Carolyn Kuhl rejected Meta’s request “given the size of the judgment and the substantial financial resources of defendants,” according to court papers.

Zuckerberg’s massive war chest was boosted by more than $200 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025 alone.Meta’s chastised legal team submitted a bond covering the full amount two days later on April 9, just one day before a court-ordered deadline.“Dragging out this process is just another way for Meta to inflict pain on a brave young woman who stood up to one of the most powerful companies in the history of the world,” said Sacha Haworth, executive director of the Tech Oversight Project.A Meta spokesperson said the company’s filings “were standard procedural discussions around timing.”“Once a deadline was set, Meta promptly posted the bond,” the spokesperson told The Post.It’s possible that Meta’s attempt to delay posting bond was a “trial balloon” to gauge whether the judge was sympathetic to its position, according to David Levine, a professor at UC San Francisco Law School.The company’s post-trial motions, often aimed at reducing damages, could pressure the plaintiff to accept a smaller set...