Overview
- On the stand, Adam Mosseri said social media is not clinically addictive and described extreme use as “problematic,” calling a cited 16-hour day on Instagram an example of problematic use.
- Mosseri acknowledged internal warnings that some image filters could harm young users and said new features are only sometimes tested for safety before rollout.
- Plaintiffs allege Meta and YouTube engineered features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, notifications and likes to maximize youth engagement, comparing the tactics to slot machines and cigarettes.
- Meta and YouTube dispute the claims, pointing to safeguards, parental controls and age-appropriate settings while arguing the plaintiff’s mental-health challenges have multiple causes.
- Snapchat and TikTok settled before trial, and this Los Angeles bellwether—expected to feature top-executive testimony—could influence thousands of related cases nationwide.