Instagram’s chief executive, Adam Mosseri, has told a California court that the concept of social media addiction lacks a clinical basis, as he became the first tech executive to testify in a landmark series of trials brought by families alleging platforms harm young people.
The case in Los Angeles centres on allegations that Meta, along with Snap, TikTok and YouTube, knowingly created addictive products. The initial trial involves a plaintiff, a 20-year-old identified as KGM, who claims design features like endless scrolling exacerbated her depression and suicidal thoughts. Her case is one of several “bellwether” trials – test cases used to predict broader legal outcomes.
On the witness stand, Mosseri sought to draw a distinction. “I think it’s important to differentiate between clinical addiction and problematic use,” he stated. Psychologists do not recognise social media addiction as an official diagnosis, though researchers have documented harmful consequences of compulsive use among the young.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mark Lanier, questioned Mosseri on whether Instagram prioritised profit over safety and if its beauty filters encouraged plastic surgery. Mosseri said the company tests new features for younger users before release, adding: “We are trying to be as safe as possible but also censor as little as possible.”
Families involved saw his appearance as a validation of their claims. “Adam Mosseri’s testimony under oath today revealed what families have long suspected: Instagram’s executives made a conscious decision to put growth over the safety of minors,” said Matthew P Bergman, an attorney for the plaintiffs.
Earlier in the trial, Lanier cited internal company documents, calling social media apps “digital casinos” due to features like endless scrolling and alleging they targeted children as young as four. Lawyers for YouTube rejected assertions it is a social media platform or that individuals were addicted, while Meta’s lawyers disputed the science behind social media addiction, linking KGM’s issues to familial abuse instead.
Internal Warnings and a Parent’s Loss
Mosseri has previously faced scrutiny over whether he dismissed internal warnings. The plaintiff’s attorney referenced an internal Meta conversation in which one employee suggested “IG is a drug,” with another stating: “We’re basically pushers.” One of the two also noted: “I know Adam doesn’t want to hear it … but it is undeniable. It is biological. It is psychological.”
Among the parents attending court was John DeMay, whose 17-year-old son, Jordan, died by suicide in 2022 after being targeted in an online sextortion scam. Two Nigerian brothers, using a hacked Instagram account, blackmailed Jordan after he sent nude photographs, demanding $1,000 and threatening to share the images.
Before Mosseri’s testimony, DeMay said the public nature of the proceedings was a victory. “Mr Mosseri is going to have to go on the stand and try to justify why his company was doing the things they were doing to build products that are so addictive, and continuing to do it even though kids are dying over them,” he said.
Legal Strategy and Safety Features
The plaintiffs’ novel legal strategy focuses not on individual harmful content but on the allegation that companies knowingly made their products addictive. This approach has so far allowed them to bypass a federal law that typically shields platforms from liability for third-party content.
While Instagram has added safety features for young users in recent years, a 2025 review by the non-profit Fairplay found that less than one in five were fully functional, with 64% being substantially ineffective or no longer existing.
DeMay, who was at the US Senate in January 2024 when tech executives testified on child safety, expressed more hope in legal than legislative action. “Every time we try to get something legislatively done it’s a grind,” he said. He argued that financial pressure from lawsuits worth “hundreds of millions of dollars” could force the companies to change, as outlined by The Guardian.
