Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg‘s entourage has been ticked off for sporting parent company Meta‘s AI glasses as they strolled into court for a landmark social media addiction trial.
Zuckerberg’s bodyguards sported the high-tech frames as they escorted him into the Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday.
The Meta boss is being sued on behalf of a 20-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, who claimed her early use of social media addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts.
His entourage’s eyewear caught the attention of Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl who threatened to hold anyone using the AI spectacles in the courtroom in contempt of court since recording is strictly prohibited, CNBC reported.
The glasses, which can cost up to nearly $800, can hold more than 100 three-minute video clips and include an AI feature that can answer voice commands, translate, and display visuals in the lenses for the user.
The choice was also widely mocked by online users following the high-profile trial.
‘Unlocking new levels of evil and corruption. Gotta hand it to the psycho,’ wrote one user.
Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg’s security was bashed for wearing Meta glasses to a landmark trial about social media addiction on Wednesday
The Meta boss is being sued on behalf of a 20-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, who claimed her early use of social media addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts
‘These tech dudes are out of control,’ another added. ‘The glasses and any type of facial recognition that’s not used by law enforcement for special purposes, should be banned.’
‘Should have held them in contempt. As far as I’m aware, all recording devices are to be put away in court,’ a third person said.
Zuckerberg appeared calm and collected as he was escorted to and from the proceedings and even offered the cameras the smallest hint of a smile as he walked into the courthouse.
It was a marked difference from inside the courtroom where he was questioned about acting ‘robotic‘ by the plaintiff’s attorney Mark Lanier.
Lanier accused the Meta boss of serving up media-trained responses to his questions.
He also pointed to an internal document offering feedback on Zuckerberg’s tone of voice urging him to come off as ‘authentic, direct, human, insightful, and real’.
The document instructed him not to ‘try hard,’ or be ‘fake, robotic, corporate, or cheesy’ in his communication.
Zuckerberg pushed back against the idea that he has been coached on how to respond to questions or present himself and said those offering the advice were ‘just giving feedback’.
The glasses, which can cost up to nearly $800, can hold more than 100 three-minute video clips and include an AI feature that can answer voice commands, translate, and display visuals in the lenses for the user
Meta has denied that its products exacerbated KGM’s mental health struggles
The Meta CEO then said, ‘I think I’m actually well known to be sort of bad at this,’ referencing several media appearances where people perceived him as awkward and mocked his appearance or speech patterns.
Additionally, shots were taken at Zuckerberg’s ill-fitting navy suit, which some critics compared to an oversized suit a second grader would be forced to wear to church.
The case, along with two others, has been selected as a bellwether trial, meaning its outcome could impact how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies would play out.
A Meta spokesperson said the company strongly disagrees with the allegations in the lawsuit and said they are ‘confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people’.
Meta attorney Paul Schmidt said in his opening statement that the company is not disputing that KGM experienced mental health struggles, but rather that Instagram played a substantial factor in those struggles.
He pointed to medical records that showed a turbulent home life and both he and an attorney representing YouTube argue she turned to their platforms as a coping mechanism or a means of escaping her mental health struggles.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Meta for comment.
