Meta/Instagram trial over teen addiction and safety feature allegations
Consensus Summary
A federal trial in California is examining whether Meta deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to young users, with 29 US states including California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey suing the company. The lawsuit alleges Meta harmed teenagers' mental health and violated child data privacy laws, with potential penalties of nearly $US200 billion. Central to the case is Instagram’s Take a Break feature, launched in December 2021 but not made default for teens until September 2024, which had low usage rates before becoming mandatory. Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s CEO since 2018, testified that few teens used the feature voluntarily, though he denied hiding negative data. The trial follows a 2021 leak of internal documents, the Facebook Files, which revealed concerns about Meta’s impact on children. While both sources agree on the core allegations, discrepancies exist in specific financial penalties and trial timelines, with ABC detailing additional cases and Guardian emphasizing low opt-in rates for the safety feature.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Adam Mosseri has been head of Instagram since 2018
- The lawsuit involves 29 US states suing Meta, including California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey
- The trial focuses on allegations that Meta deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to young users, harming their mental health
- The states claim Meta violated federal law by improperly collecting and using personal data of children under 13
- Instagram’s Take a Break feature was launched in December 2021 but was not made the default setting for teenagers until September 2024
- The trial is taking place in California federal court (Oakland or Los Angeles)
- Meta could face nearly $US200 billion in civil penalties if found liable
- Adam Mosseri testified that the percentage of teenagers using Take a Break was in the low-single digits before it became default
- The trial began last week and is expected to last through September
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $US567 million in August 2026 to address teenagers' mental health after calling its platforms a public nuisance
- A 20-year-old woman won a $US6 million judgment against Meta and Google for negligence in designing addictive platforms
- Meta and state attorneys general reportedly discussed a potential mid-trial settlement on Tuesday, local time
- Instagram centralised research on teenagers' safety into a single team and reduced access to the information after the 2021 Facebook Files leak
- Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, leaked the Facebook Files in 2021, alleging Meta knew its products were unsafe for children
- Instagram director of product design Francesco Fogu testified about a 2023 presentation showing teenage users saw 1.5 times more bullying, suicide, hate, nudity, and violent content than adult users
- The trial was estimated to last about six weeks, with jurors expected to issue an advisory verdict
- Tennessee is also suing Meta over similar claims about Instagram, with a case ongoing in Nashville
- Jason Slothouber, a prosecutor for Colorado, questioned Mosseri about Take a Break having just 1.8% opt-in rates among teens
- Mosseri acknowledged in December 2021 that early tests showed over 90% of teenage users who turned on Take a Break kept it on
- Mosseri testified about a blog post from December 2021 announcing Take a Break, published one day before his Senate testimony
- Whistleblower Arturo Béjar testified about Meta’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ strategy regarding children’s safety on its platforms
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify later in the trial
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- ABC states the Take a Break feature was made default in September 2024, while Guardian does not specify a date for this change
- ABC mentions a $US567 million penalty in New Mexico and a $US6 million judgment in another case, but Guardian does not reference these specific financial outcomes
- ABC says the trial is estimated to last about six weeks, while Guardian states it is expected to last through September without specifying duration
- ABC notes that jurors may issue an advisory verdict, while Guardian does not mention this detail
Source Articles
Instagram chief tells addiction trial few teenagers knew of safety feature
The federal court trial in California is one of the highest-profile tests of allegations that social media companies have harmed young users.
Instagram CEO denies company hid low use of teen safety feature in Meta trial
Adam Mosseri is first top executive from Meta to testify in blockbuster lawsuit brought by 29 US states Instagram’s CEO disputed allegations by US prosecutors that his company hid negative information from the public while testifying during a blockbuster social media trial. “I am not trying to encourage my team to hide anything,” the CEO, Adam Mosseri, told a California courtroom on Tuesday. Continue reading...
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