February 18, 2026
Courtroom? More like comment room
Mark Zuckerberg Lied to Congress. We Can't Trust His Testimony
Apology slammed as PR; some want perjury charges, others warn against KOSA
TLDR: A watchdog report says newly unsealed documents show Zuckerberg misled Congress, sparking a comment-section brawl. Many demand perjury charges, others say he’s untouchable, and a fierce split over the Kids Online Safety Act erupts—making this a flashpoint for Big Tech accountability and children’s online safety.
On the eve of Mark Zuckerberg’s big day in court, a watchdog group alleges newly unsealed documents show he misled Congress—and the internet hit maximum volume. A linked thread about the addiction trial here turned into a grandstand: one camp says throw the book at him for perjury, another insists he’s too rich and connected to face consequences, and a third is locked in a civil war over the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). KOSA backers want Congress to “finally do something,” while skeptics warn it’s a censorship Trojan horse that could make the internet worse for everyone. For the uninitiated: Section 230 is the law that protects sites from being sued over user posts; KOSA is a proposed bill to force stronger protections for minors.
Fueling the outrage: a study cited in the report says Instagram’s teen protections are mostly broken—64% rated “red” and just 17% working as advertised—and an expert filing claims the platforms weren’t designed with kids’ safety in mind. Meanwhile, commenters roasted Zuckerberg’s on-camera apology as a PR stunt, with one quipping that even the report’s tables are illegible unless you use mobile Safari’s reader mode, the perfect metaphor for Big Tech transparency. Humor aside, the mood is grim: people want accountability, receipts, and yes, maybe handcuffs. The courtroom has rules—but the comments section has none, and it’s not holding back.
Key Points
- •The Tech Oversight Project released a report alleging newly unsealed documents show Mark Zuckerberg misled the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in 2024.
- •A “Big Tech on Trial” microsite was launched to compile evidence and will be updated during the proceedings.
- •A study of Instagram’s teen safety features found 64% were ineffective or unavailable, 19% had major limitations, and 17% worked as advertised.
- •An expert report by Tim Ested (AngelQ AI) concluded platforms were not designed to be safe for kids, citing weak age verification and problematic design features.
- •The report references the Wall Street Journal’s 2021 Facebook Files showing internal and external research linking Instagram use to worsened teen mental health.