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Instagram’s Adam Mosseri Takes the Stand in LA Bellwether on Youth Social Media Harm

Plaintiffs seek a ruling that treats recommendation algorithms as product design outside Section 230.

Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, arrives in court to testify in a landmark social media case that seeks to hold tech companies responsible for harms to children, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, arrives in court to testify in a landmark social media case that seeks to hold tech companies responsible for harms to children, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, arrives in court to testify in a landmark social media case that seeks to hold tech companies responsible for harms to children, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, arrives in court to testify in a landmark social media case that seeks to hold tech companies responsible for harms to children, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Overview

  • Mosseri is testifying in Los Angeles, with Mark Zuckerberg scheduled for February 18 and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan expected the following day, and the trial is set to run until March 20.
  • The bellwether case centers on Kaley G.M., 20, who alleges severe mental harm after becoming addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child, with plaintiffs arguing the companies engineered addiction in young brains.
  • Meta and Google deny liability, and YouTube’s lawyer told jurors the service is not intentionally addictive and is not social media, comparing it to television or Netflix.
  • TikTok and Snap settled before jury selection, and roughly 1,500 to 1,600 similar lawsuits nationwide are watching this trial for guidance on liability and potential damages.
  • Related developments include opening arguments in New Mexico’s lawsuit alleging Meta enabled sexual predation and a Northern District of California ruling that denied summary judgment in a school district case.