Zuckerberg to Testify in $8 Billion Trial Alleging Facebook Misled Users and Shareholders

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to take the stand this week in an $8 billion trial tied to the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Shareholders allege that Facebook, under Zuckerberg’s direction, violated a 2012 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agreement by continuing deceptive data privacy practices. The trial stems from the revelation that Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed Facebook data from millions of users and used it during Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

The lawsuit, filed in 2018, claims Zuckerberg and other top Meta executives—including former COO Sheryl Sandberg and board members like Marc Andreessen and Peter Thiel—failed to uphold their fiduciary duties. Plaintiffs argue that Zuckerberg knowingly allowed privacy violations to continue, ultimately exposing the company to massive regulatory fines and stock devaluation. Notably, they claim Zuckerberg sold $1 billion in stock before the scandal went public, allegedly to shield himself from financial fallout.

In response, Meta’s legal team contends that the company invested heavily in privacy compliance, hired external oversight, and was itself deceived by Cambridge Analytica. They maintain that Zuckerberg’s stock sales were pre-scheduled and aligned with philanthropic efforts, not insider knowledge.

The non-jury trial is taking place in Wilmington, Delaware, and is expected to last eight days. Its outcome could have significant implications for executive accountability in the wake of major data breaches.