New York, August 26 (TNA) Instagram Chief on August 25 took the stand in a trial pitting Meta against states over social media harms. Adam Mosseri, the Meta Executive at the helm of Instagram, defended the platform's safety record in testimony. The Attorney questioned Mosseri about the low usage of the tools, known as Take a Break and Quiet Mode, which were launched in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
Mosseri acknowledged that the percentage of teenagers using the tools was in the low single digits before Instagram made it the default. The Meta Executive said few teenagers used a key safety feature to limit their use before it was turned on by default.
When asked if Meta disclosed its low adoption, Mosseri admitted the company did not but said the safety features were later turned on by default in Teen Accounts, which have parental controls and launched in 2024.
The testimony is part of a landmark trial where 29 U.S. states accuse Meta of designing Instagram and Facebook to hook young users, while violating child data laws. Meta, however, rejected the accusations and said its research showed no clear link between adolescents' social media use and a lack of well-being.