Instagram chief takes the stand in a trial pitting Meta against states over social media harms
Summary
Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s CEO, testified in a federal court trial where several states accuse Meta of harming children through its social media platforms. The trial focuses on whether Meta knowingly designed features that addict young users and worsen their mental health, while Mosseri defended the company’s safety efforts.Key Facts
- Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri testified in a trial in Oakland, California, involving Meta and four states: California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey.
- The states accuse Meta of contributing to youth mental health problems by creating addictive features for children.
- Prosecutors questioned Mosseri about low usage of Instagram’s “take a break” feature designed to help teens limit screen time.
- Since 2024, the “take a break” feature has been set as the default for teenage Instagram accounts.
- Mosseri highlighted that Meta has many safety features focused on well-being, not just the “take a break” option.
- The trial began in 2026 and is expected to last about six weeks, with 29 states suing Meta overall.
- An earlier related court case found Meta and Google liable for social media harms, awarding $6 million to the plaintiff.
- Internal Meta documents revealed in court showed a cautious and minimal approach to regulatory compliance by the company.
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