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Adam Mosseri, head of Meta Platforms’ Instagram, defended the company’s product decisions during a high-profile trial in Los Angeles centered on allegations that social media addiction has contributed to a youth mental health crisis. The case is part of a growing wave of lawsuits against Meta, YouTube, and other tech giants accused of designing platforms that negatively impact children and teenagers.
The lawsuit was filed by a California woman who says she began using Instagram at age nine and later developed depression and body dysmorphia. She claims Meta and Google’s YouTube knowingly designed features to keep young users engaged despite internal research highlighting potential mental health risks.
During testimony, court documents revealed internal discussions from 2019 about whether Instagram should lift a ban on photo filters that simulate plastic surgery. Teams focused on policy and user well-being recommended keeping the ban in place while further studying potential harm to teenage girls. Nick Clegg, then Meta’s vice president of global affairs, warned in emails that reversing the ban could make the company appear to prioritize growth over responsibility.
Mosseri and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly supported allowing face-altering filters but limiting their visibility in recommendations. Mosseri told the court he aimed to balance user growth with safety, ultimately agreeing to permit certain filters while banning those that explicitly promoted cosmetic surgery.
The trial also highlights broader concerns about children’s access to social media platforms. Countries including Australia, Spain, Greece, Britain, and France are considering or implementing stricter regulations. In the United States, families and state officials have filed numerous lawsuits alleging negligence in platform design.
The jury must determine whether Meta and YouTube were negligent and whether their platforms substantially contributed to the plaintiff’s mental health struggles. The case may test legal protections that shield online platforms from liability for user-generated content, potentially shaping the future of social media regulation and corporate accountability.
