Instagram head Adam Mosseri to testify in social media addiction trial: All details here

In a first, Instagram head Adam Mosseri is scheduled to take the stand on Wednesday (February 11) to face intense questioning in case regarding whether the app’s design is a driver of the youth mental health crisis. Mosseri will testify in open court during a trial centred on allegations that the platform’s algorithms intentionally fuel “social media addiction.”

Why Instagram head will testify

The trial focuses on the allegations by a 20-year-old California woman, identified in court filings as K.G.M., that Instagram’s algorithm is attention-grabbing which led to addiction during her formative years. Central to her deposition is the “endless scroll” feature, wherein a user can continuously watch content without any natural “stop point”.




K.G.M. testified that this feature kept her trapped in a cycle of consumption that directly contributed to her severe anxiety and depression. The plaintiffs’ attorneys are expected to confront Mosseri with internal Meta documents that they claim show the company was well aware of the psychological toll Instagram took on minors.

Meta has defended its position

Meta has remained firm in its defense.

“We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” a Meta spokesperson stated ahead of the testimony. The company’s lawyers claim that the internal discussions regarding these harms were part of an effort by the company to build better safety features, and are not a proof of negligence.

Mossari’s appearance is expected to be be followed by a testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who is slated to appear in the coming weeks as part of the same high-stakes litigation.

Meanwhile, the plaintiff's legal team has highlighted a recent Meta study which reportedly indicates that teenagers facing existing life difficulties are the most vulnerable to platform addiction. Moreover, K.G.M’s claims are supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which issued a warning in January stating that ‘addictive’ features make it significantly harder for children to “disengage from digital devices.”

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