Instagram on trial: Mosseri defends against addiction claims as social-media mental health case unfolds
A California court is hearing a high-profile case that accuses major social platforms, including Instagram, of contributing to mental-health issues through design choices meant to maximize engagement. The plaintiff, a 20-year-old Californian woman identified as KGM, argues that features on Meta’s apps and other services foster compulsive use and set users up for problems like body dysmorphia, anxiety, and depression. While Snap and TikTok have already settled out of court, Meta, YouTube, and their peers remain under scrutiny as the trial proceeds.
Mosseri’s stance on addiction and “problematic use” Adam Mosseri, who has led Instagram since 2018, told the court that the platform is not addictive in a clinical sense. He stressed the need to differentiate between clinical addiction and “problematic use.” When pressed about KGM’s reported 16-hour session on Instagram, Mosseri replied that such behavior sounded like problematic use, not clinical addiction. He added that, while he’s personally binged a Netflix show, that doesn’t equate to a clinical addiction.
The plaintiff’s argument: digital casinos and Big Tobacco KGM’s lawyer, Mark Lanier, contends that these apps are essentially digital casinos designed to keep people scrolling. He pointed to internal documents from the accused companies that allegedly compare their technology to Big Tobacco in terms of addictiveness. Meta’s defense counters that KGM’s mental-health issues stem largely from other life factors, including abuse at home. Nonetheless, the plaintiff has also highlighted that KGM had filed more than 300 complaints about bullying on Instagram.
Jurisdictional context and broader scrutiny The trial comes amid rising alarm about how algorithmic feeds and platform features affect users’ well-being. In late 2023, regulators in Australia moved to ban under-16s from using social media, a policy that has sparked consideration in other countries as well. The outcome of this case could influence how platforms design features and disclose the potential mental-health risks associated with their services.
Follow-up and ongoing coverage As the proceedings continue, observers are watching not just the claims about addiction and problematic use, but also the broader question of responsibility for social-media impacts on health. The case could shape future regulatory approaches and corporate practices around youth access, notification of risk, and the handling of online bullying.
About the author Dave is a freelance tech journalist who covers gadgets, apps, and the web. Based in Stockport, England, he writes on TechRadar and contributes to other outlets, focusing on phones, tablets, and wearables.
Note: The article references statements attributed to Adam Mosseri as reported via BBC coverage of the trial.