Mosseri defended Instagram’s approach to teen safety as 29 states press claims that Meta built products that encouraged compulsive use by young people.
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri testified Tuesday in a federal trial in Oakland, California, where 29 states accuse Meta of designing Instagram and Facebook to keep young users engaged while failing to adequately protect them.
Mosseri is a central witness in the case, which has become a major legal test of whether social media companies can be held responsible under consumer-protection and privacy laws for alleged harms to children and teenagers.
California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey have alleged that Meta designed its platforms to hook younger users, contributing to problems including anxiety, depression and suicide, while misleading the public about platform safety. Meta denies the allegations.
During his testimony, Mosseri disputed the suggestion that Instagram was indifferent to children’s safety and said the company changes its products and policies over time. He also acknowledged that making a feature such as Take a Break optional, rather than the default, meant fewer people would use it.
The states also contend that Meta collected data from users under 13 without the parental notice or consent required by federal law. Meta has argued that it has invested heavily in protections for younger users and that “social media addiction” is not a recognized psychiatric diagnosis.
Separately, Bloomberg News reported that Meta and state attorneys general had discussed a possible midtrial settlement. Reuters said it could not independently verify that report, and neither Meta nor the leading state offices immediately commented.
