Instagram head Adam Mosseri to testify at Meta child social media addiction trial

Oakland, California - Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri will testify on Tuesday in a trial determining whether Meta Platforms designed Instagram and Facebook to addict children, disregarding their safety. The lawsuit involves 29 U.S. states, with California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey accusing Meta of intentionally creating addictive features that lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide among young users.

All 29 states claim Meta violated federal law by improperly collecting and using personal data of children under 13. The trial, held in an Oakland, California federal court, is expected to continue through September, with jurors potentially issuing an advisory verdict. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide on Meta's liability and potential civil penalties.

Mosseri, who became Instagram's chief in 2018, testified in a previous trial where a jury ordered Meta and Google to pay $6 million to a young woman claiming she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child.