In a pivotal California courtroom confrontation, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri offered a staunch defense against allegations that social media platforms deliberately engineer addiction in young users. Testifying in a bellwether trial that could reshape legal accountability for tech giants, Mosseri drew sharp distinctions between clinical addiction and what he termed “problematic use” of digital platforms.
The high-stakes litigation names Meta (parent company of Instagram and Facebook) and Google’s YouTube as defendants, centering on claims that their platforms knowingly hook children for profit. The case specifically involves Kaley G.M., a 20-year-old who allegedly suffered severe mental health consequences after beginning her social media journey with YouTube at age six and Instagram at 11.
Under rigorous questioning from plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier, Mosseri pushed back against characterizations of Instagram as a dopamine “slot machine” for vulnerable youth. “Protecting minors over the long run is even good for the business and for profit,” Mosseri asserted, rejecting the notion that Meta operates under a “move fast and break things” ethos that prioritizes revenue over safety.
The testimony unfolded as Stanford University School of Medicine professor Anna Lembke, called by plaintiffs, presented countering evidence describing social media broadly as a “drug” and comparing YouTube to a “gateway drug” for children. She emphasized that underdeveloped adolescent brains predispose youth to take “risks that they shouldn’t.”
With Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg scheduled to testify February 18 and YouTube CEO Neil Mohan the following day, the proceedings represent a critical juncture for an industry facing over a thousand similar lawsuits alleging platforms contribute to depression, eating disorders, and even suicide among young users. The trial’s outcome, expected by March 20, may establish legal precedents affecting nationwide litigation and regulatory approaches to social media design and accountability.