Instagram head Adam Mosseri testifies in defense of Meta in child safety trial

Live updates

1. 19d ago

   Instagram Head Adam Mosseri Testifies in Meta Child Safety Trial

   Instagram head Adam Mosseri testified in a child safety trial, denying that he encouraged the suppression of social media risks or told staff to hide information. Mosseri stated there are "no silver bullets" for teen safety and admitted that only 1-2% of teenagers used the Take a Break screen time feature before it became a default setting. This testimony comes as Meta faces lawsuits from four states alleging the company designed its platforms to hook children while lying about the associated risks.

   Why it matters

   The trial examines whether Facebook and Instagram were intentionally designed to be addictive to minors. Meta recently reached an $18 billion settlement to implement new rules for users under 18, including midnight cutoffs and time limits. Some witnesses argue these settlement terms are insufficient to stop the harm caused to teenagers.

   What is confirmed

   • Adam Mosseri testified in a trial concerning child safety and social media addiction.
   • Mosseri denied encouraging the suppression of child social media risks or instructing his team to hide information.
   • Four states allege Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to hook children and lied about the risks.
   • Meta reached an $18 billion settlement to implement new rules for users under 18.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Mosseri confirmed Meta never disclosed that only 1-2% of teens used the Take a Break feature.

   What to watch next

   • Court rulings on whether the $18 billion settlement sufficiently addresses teen harm
   • Further testimony from Meta executives regarding internal risk assessments
   • Implementation dates for the midnight cutoff and time limit rules for minors
   Sources used for this update (15)

   1. Good Morning America — Instagram head expected to testify in Meta trial
   2. Bloomberg — Ex-Meta Staffer Says 99% of Teens Shunned Early Safety Tool
   3. Reuters — Instagram head Mosseri denies encouraging suppression of child social media risks
   4. NPR — Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, testifies in defense of Meta in child safety trial
   5. The New York Times — Instagram Chief Says ‘No Silver Bullets’ for Teen Safety in Bellwether Trial
   6. CNBC — Instagram chief Mosseri says in social media addiction trial he doesn't tell team to 'hide anything'
   7. The Guardian — Instagram CEO denies company hid low use of teen safety feature in Meta trial
   8. NBC Bay Area — Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri takes stand in landmark Meta trial over child safety
   9. Yahoo Finance — Meta, States Have Discussed Settling Teen Social Media Case
   10. www.huffpost.com — Instagram Head Adam Mosseri Begins Testimony At Meta Child Social Media Addiction Trial
   11. www.aol.com — Instagram head Mosseri, at children's addiction trial, says few teenagers knew of safety feature
   12. www.boisestatepublicradio.org — Instagram head Adam Mosseri testifies in defense of Meta in child safety trial
   confidence 90%