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Social media trial judge blocks Meta from introducing plaintiff’s additional trauma claims
‘The Big Money Show’ panel reacts to Meta’s new child safety alerts as social media companies face mounting scrutiny in court over teen mental health claims.
The judge in the bellwether social media trial in Los Angeles barred Meta’s defense from introducing a document where the plaintiff said she had suffered “sexual abuse during childhood.”
The exchange happened after the jury and plaintiff’s witness, psychiatrist Dr. Kara Bagot, were dismissed for the day. Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt took to the lectern to ask Judge Carolyn Kuhl about an exhibit he wanted to introduce to the court.
The document was a housing application from the plaintiff, a 20-year-old female identified in court as Kaley G.M. She had filled the application out after her mom evicted her from their shared home. When asked in the application if she had suffered any “traumatic circumstances or events” in her life, she wrote: “exposure to neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse during childhood.”
MARK ZUCKERBERG FACES JURY IN LANDMARK TRIAL OVER ALLEGED YOUTH HARM LINKED TO SOCIAL MEDIA
Meta’s lawyer, Paul Schmidt, outside the courtroom in California. (Mike Blake/Reuters)
“This happened in the family, but she wasn’t asked to elaborate,” said Schmidt to the judge. Schmidt wanted to introduce the application, which was filled out in May 2024 – after her lawsuit was filed – to show that Kaley did not list “social media addiction” as one of her traumas.
Schmidt offered to redact “sexual abuse” from the document because it hasn’t been discussed or brought up at the trial in any of her extensive medical records, which number over 200. He said that the other traumas – neglect, emotional and physical abuse – are all backed up in the previous testimonies.
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Kuhl asked to see the application and scoffed, telling Schmidt, “It looks like she’s lying here. She’s bringing up autism, she’s bringing up sexual abuse that never happened,” said Kuhl.
It has not been discussed by either the plaintiff or defense in court if Kaley experienced sexual abuse or if she had lied about experiencing sexual abuse. Autism has been discussed in her records, but she was never diagnosed with it.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives at the Los Angeles Superior Court at United States Court House on Feb. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (Jill Connelly/Getty Images)
Kuhl asked if there was any evidence of sexual abuse. Schmidt said he didn’t know where Kaley got that from, as it wasn’t explored in her deposition.
“In this document, she’s exaggerating. Common logic says she’s got to find a place to go, she’s trying to convince [the housing] that she’s an abused child so they can help her,” said Kuhl. “She’s making it as ’that’ as possible.”
Schmidt disagreed with Kuhl’s take on the exhibit, saying he only wanted to bring up the traumas that she’s previously testified to.
META RESEARCHER WARNED OF 500K CHILD EXPLOITATION CASES DAILY ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM PLATFORMS
“I don’t know how you don’t get a sense of the document that I get. As a judge who sat in child abuse courts, sometimes kids do that,” said Kuhl.
Schmidt told the court he would drop the request and Kuhl thanked him.
Also discussed after the jury was dismissed was the issue of time left for both sides to present their case. Kuhl determined before the trial that each side would get 40 hours to make their case, which includes all direct and re-direct examinations. Currently, the plaintiff attorneys, specifically lead counsel Mark Lanier, have 5 hours and 56 minutes left. The defense, which includes both Meta and Google, has 11 hours and 11 minutes left.
Mark Lanier, the main plaintiff’s lawyer, walks outside the court in California. (Mike Blake/Reuters)
Lanier still has additional witnesses to call, including Meta whistleblower Arturo Bejar. Schmidt and the defense team seemed to be in control of their time left until the testimony of Bagot, who they have spent a considerable amount of time cross-examining.
Bagot will be on the stand for her fifth day on Thursday, which Lanier admits is unusual. Kuhl has also grown weary of how long she’s been on the stand.
“I want to say something to everyone about where this is going. Overnight, think to yourselves, ‘Have I asked this question before?’ Look at the jurors and ask yourself if they’ve got the picture,” Kuhl said.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| META | META PLATFORMS INC. | 660.57 | -7.16 | -1.07% |
| GOOGL | ALPHABET INC. | 300.88 | -2.25 | -0.74% |
Kuhl opined that if one of the sides runs out of time and doesn’t have a chance to cross-examine, that could open the door for an appeal.
“The appellate court in our state court system hasn’t spoken to the great issue of the time limit,” said Kuhl. “If we say this is the clock, and it was set when we had no idea what it was going to look like, and all of a sudden a side can’t cross-examine, what are they going to say about this?”
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She expressed optimism the sides would get it done.
“Don’t worry. Don’t fight about it. You are all close. You will get this done.”
US stocks closed down on Thursday as the Middle East conflict entered its sixth day, pushing oil prices higher and spurring worries about inflation and whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates.
Some 14% of small High Street traders have gone card-only in the last year, a survey suggests.
Stocks fell in Japan and Australia, pulling the broader MSCI Asia Pacific Index down 0.5%. The gauge has declined about 7% since the war began. Treasuries dropped and the dollar gained during the US session, with the currency set for its best week since 2024. US equity gauges also dropped Thursday, although they were off the session lows.
Attention was mostly on oil, with West Texas Intermediate crude dropping as much as 2.5% to almost $79 a barrel on Friday. That came after the Trump administration was weighing a range of options for addressing the spike in oil and gasoline prices amid the war in Iran, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. Still, oil is headed for the biggest weekly surge since 2022.
The ongoing US-Israeli offensive against Iran has jolted global energy markets, pushing US crude to multi-year highs amid concerns that disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz may constrain supplies. The conflict is already unsettling flows to key buyers, with top importer China moving to conserve fuel, heightening inflation risks and market volatility if the fighting persists.
“What matters now is whether the war will last days, weeks, or longer,” said Marco Oviedo, senior strategist at XP Investimentos. The possibility that the conflict doesn’t last long “remains the base case, and that the US is winning the battle. But Iran’s refusal to back down is keeping things tense.”
Iran launched a fresh wave of missile and drone strikes across the Gulf on Thursday evening, with attacks reported in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that his country hadn’t asked for a ceasefire and had no intention of negotiating.
However, the US remains defiant. Trump told Axios he should be involved in selecting a successor, the outlet reported, citing an interview with the president.
A break from professional practice put podiatrist Paul Griffin on a pathway to manufacturing sustainable footwear.
West Texas Intermediate was down 2.09 percent at $79.32 per barrel at around 0015 GMT, having soared 8.5 percent on Thursday to $81.01. Brent North Sea Crude, which rose 4.9 percent on Thursday, was not yet being traded.
“Further action to reduce pressure on oil is imminent and the oil (price) seems to have pretty much stabilised,” US President Donald Trump said on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Trump had ordered the US Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance for all maritime trade through the Gulf.
He said the US Navy would “if necessary” begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital chokepoint for crude which Iran has effectively closed off — “as soon as possible.”
On stock markets, Japan’s Nikkei index was down 0.8 percent shortly after the open, while South Korea’s benchmark Kospi slipped 1.2 percent.
On Thursday, European exchanges shed around 1.5 percent and Wall Street’s main indices also retreated.
‘The Big Money Show’ panel reacts to Meta’s new child safety alerts as social media companies face mounting scrutiny in court over teen mental health claims.
Virginia has filed a notice announcing plans to appeal a judge’s preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the state’s law restricting the amount of time that minors under 16 can be on social media to one hour today.
While U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles admitted that the prevalence of social media and overexposure to it “can [undoubtedly] impact minors,” she ultimately granted the preliminary injunction, citing First Amendment concerns.
“The issues in this matter are not to be taken lightly. The Court recognizes the Commonwealth’s compelling interest in protecting its youth from the harms associated with the addictive aspects of social media. However, it cannot infringe on First Amendment rights, including those of the same youth it aims to protect,” Giles wrote in her Memorandum Opinion.
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Three friends are using their smartphones while sitting on a bench in a park. (pixdeluxe/Getty Images)
When reached by Fox News Digital, NetChoice, the organization that requested the preliminary injunction, pointed to a previously released statement.
“This ruling prevents the state of Virginia from imposing unconstitutional restrictions on how its citizens access lawful speech online while NetChoice v. Miyares moves through the legal system,” the organization’s statement reads.
Paul Taske, co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, celebrated the preliminary injunction, saying that, “The First Amendment is alive and well in Virginia.”
NetChoice’s case bears the name of Virginia’s former Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, as it was filed while he was still in office. The current Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, a Democrat, issued the notice of appeal for this case, signaling that the state is still interested in enforcing this law.
A 12-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen showing various social media apps including TikTok, Facebook and X, on Dec. 19, 2023, in Bath, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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In its complaint, NetChoice stated that “Virginia Senate Bill 854 is the latest attempt in a long line of government efforts to restrict new forms of constitutionally protected expression based on concerns about their potential effects on minors.” The organization compared concerns about youth and social media to those historically expressed about various books, movies, television shows, rock music, video games and the internet.
“These debates are important, and the government may certainly take part in them. But the First Amendment does not take kindly to government efforts to resolve them,” the complaint reads.
Instagram’s Teen Accounts — which have certain limitations to protect minors — has 60-minute time limit reminders that encourage teens to get off the app after an hour. Additionally, it turns on sleep mode between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., muting notifications and sending auto replies to direct messages. Meta also instituted Teen Accounts for Facebook and Messenger.
Virginia is appealing a federal judge’s preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of its law limiting minors under 16 to one hour of social media per day. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Last week, Meta announced the implementation of new parental notifications aimed at letting parents know if their child is repeatedly searching terms related to suicide or self-harm.
Jones provided notice to the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia that he intends to appeal Giles’ ruling. Her ruling was issued on Feb. 27, and, under federal appellate rules, the appeal must be filed within 30 days of the judge’s order. A brief could be submitted before the end of the month.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, NetChoice, X and Google for comment. Meta declined to comment.
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Sports fans, you now have an opportunity to be rewarded solely for being yourself.
Wunderfan is a startup app where you can watch, attend, or even talk about sporting events and turn earned “Wunder” points into real rewards.
From attending and watching games to participating in pick’em contests and receiving curated sports content, Wunderfan delivers a seamless experience that puts fans first and ensures they finally win.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXBUSINESS.COM
A general view of fans as they arrived at Levi’s Stadium prior to the start of the Seattle Seahawks versus the New England Patriots Super Bowl LX game on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“Simply put, it’s a loyalty app, and it’s all based on fan engagement,” co-founder Michael Testa said in a recent interview with FOX Business.
“Anything you’re doing when you open up your phone and are checking on sports, we think that you should be rewarded for it.”
Testa said Wunderfan values “passion as a currency,” whereas major companies value “currency as a currency.”
“Spend all your money with us, lose all your money betting, and we’ll give you some rewards points.’ Not us. We’re saying, ‘Hey, are you watching a football game? Snap a photo and earn rewards. Are you attending with that hard-earned money? Get some money back in rewards. Are you buying tickets? Buy tickets through our ticket marketplace, get rewarded for that, or use your Wunder points to buy the tickets. Are you scrolling social media? Why don’t you do it through our app and earn rewards for it?’” Testa said.
Wunderfan gives fans the opportunity to win rewards simply by being their passionate selves. (Wunderfan / Fox News)
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“We’re continuing to build this feature set where anytime you open your phone to check on sports, we want to be the all-in-one sports engagement app, and you’re gonna check Wunderfan when you look at your sports apps.”
Last month, Wunderfan closed on a $3.1 million investment led by Sororibus Capital. The funding will support the company’s continued growth as it builds the next generation of fan engagement and loyalty in sports.
Wunderfan also has its own ticketing platform that offers another opportunity to earn rewards like merchandise, gift cards, vouchers, and additional tickets and experiences.
Testa’s long-term goal for Wunderfan is to “become the sports engagement everything app” and become the sports version of Robinhood.
“I gotta pay homage to my guy, Vlad Tenev, building Robinhood — they’re becoming the all-in-one financial app. Anytime you check your stocks, crypto, Roth IRA, anything like that, when you open anything about finances, people are now opening Robinhood. We’re gonna do the same thing for sports,” Testa said.
“Our product roadmap is so robust. Instead of going to TheScore or ESPN to check your scores—or Apple Scores soon enough — we’ll have you go to Wunderfan. Anytime you want to comment on something, why not earn rewards for messaging on the message board, right? We’ll police it. Don’t worry, you gotta be kind. Wunderfan is a kind platform.
A general view of the Seattle Seahawks versus the New England Patriots defense during Super Bowl LX game on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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“But anything you want to do related to sports that’s on your phone, Wunderfan’s gonna be the go-to place.”
Chocolates, bars, gummies and drinks promise to help you sleep, but is the science behind them sound?
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Allstate has been ordered to face a lawsuit alleging the insurance giant tracked drivers through their cellphones without their consent and tried to cash in on the data to boost profits.
A federal judge in Chicago ruled Tuesday that drivers can move ahead with a proposed class action accusing Allstate of illegally collecting detailed cellphone data, including location, speed, braking, acceleration and phone use, Reuters reported.
The Illinois-based company is being accused of using that information to raise premiums and deny coverage, as well as selling the data to other insurers.
ALLSTATE SAYS CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES TO BRING COMPANY $1.1 BILLION IN LOSSES
An Allstate sign on March 16, 2020, in Melville, New York. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Drivers may also seek to prove that Allstate’s data analytics arm, Arity, violated federal law by misreporting their driving behavior, according to Reuters.
The lawsuit alleges Arity’s tracking software was built into apps including GasBuddy, Fuel Rewards, Life360 and Routely.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALL | THE ALLSTATE CORP. | 211.62 | -2.56 | -1.20% |
The judge allowed drivers to proceed with claims under the laws of 20 states, while throwing out three of the 38 claims in the case.
Meanwhile, Allstate argued that drivers did not claim the company actually collected their data or raised their insurance rates.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Sunday reinstated a sharp increase in penalties for automakers whose vehicles do not meet fuel efficiency requirements for model years 2019 and beyond. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
The insurer also said its privacy policies made clear that data could be collected.
“Consumers who choose to share driving data through Arity-powered apps can access emergency assistance, track fuel efficiency and unlock personalized insurance rates after a clear notice and explicit opt-in process,” Allstate told FOX Business in an email.
The case combines 15 separate lawsuits filed against Allstate, Reuters reported.
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The insurer also said its privacy policies made clear that data could be collected. (Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Insurance companies including Allstate, Progressive and Geico use telematics technology to track driving behavior, saying it can reward safe drivers with lower premiums, according to Reuters.
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In January 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a similar lawsuit accusing Allstate and Arity of unlawfully collecting, using and selling Texans’ cellphone location and movement data through software embedded in mobile apps, including Life360.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs could not be immediately reached by FOX Business for comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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