The word “reasonable” featured prominently in recent testimony from Mark Zuckerberg during a landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The plaitiff alleges social media platforms are addictive and contributed to her depression and suicidal ideation. TikTok and Snapchat have reached settlements, leaving Meta and Google’s YouTube among the remaining defendants. After five hours of testimony on Wednesday, February 18th, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg exited from a back door of the courthouse.
For expert insight on this case, including the broader question of what constitutes “reasonable” conduct by technology platforms, please consider Vikram R. Bhargava.
Bhargava, assistant professor of strategic management & public policy at the GW School of Business, researches the ethics and policy challenges created by emerging technologies. His work examines issues including technology addiction, social media dynamics, and AI governance, and has been published in leading business ethics journals.
If you would like to speak with Bhargava to learn more about the case, please contact Claire Sabin at claire.sabin@gwu.edu.
