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Instagram chief Adam Mosseri recently testified in a California courtroom, where debate arose over whether social media platforms are designed to be "traps" for young minds
During the landmark trial, Mosseri denied claims that Instagram deliberately hooks children for profit.
Mosseri appeared as the first major Silicon Valley executive to testify in this high-stakes legal battle.
The case stems from allegations that Kaley GM, 20, suffered significant mental harm from early social media use, having started YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at 11.
Families of teenagers who fell to their deaths watched from the gallery as the CEO was grilled about the platform's alleged role as a dopamine "slot machine" for vulnerable youth
"I think it's important to differentiate between clinical addiction and problematic use," Mosseri said under questioning by attorney Mark Lanier.
He compared his own habits to binge-watching a Netflix show, suggesting he may have previously used the word addiction "too casually" despite lacking a medical or psychological degree.
While plaintiffs argue that Meta and YouTube engineer addiction to retain users, the defence maintains that teen safety is actually beneficial for long-term business.
Mosseri noted that while teenagers often set trends, they generate less revenue because they have less disposable income to spend on advertisements compared to older demographics
Meta's attorneys argued that the plaintiff's mental health struggles stemmed from family circumstances rather than app usage, despite experts comparing social media platforms like YouTube to a "gateway drug" for children.
This trial serves as a bellwether for lawsuits across the US involving claims of depression, eating disorders, and psychiatric hospitalisation.
With the tech world watching, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify on 18 February 2026, followed by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan.
