Instagram Boss, Adam Mosseri, To Testify In Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial
✍️ By Teju/ February 11, 2026/ 8:44am
Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, is set to appear in a Los Angeles courtroom this week as part of a landmark civil trial examining whether major social media platforms are deliberately designed to be addictive, particularly for children and vulnerable users.
Mosseri’s testimony comes as lawyers for the plaintiffs aim to show that Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, alongside Google’s YouTube, intentionally built features that encourage compulsive use and harm young people’s mental health.
The case centers on allegations from a 20-year-old plaintiff, referred to as Kaley G.M., who says she began using YouTube and Instagram at a young age and later suffered severe emotional and psychological effects she attributes to social media addiction.
Opening statements in the trial described arguments that the apps use addictive mechanisms, such as infinite scrolling, algorithmic feeds and interactive feedback loops, to keep users engaged, a design critics liken to an addictive “trap.”
Meta and YouTube’s defence teams have pushed back sharply, arguing that there is no scientific consensus defining “social media addiction” and that other factors, including personal and family issues, contribute to users’ experiences. They also maintain that these platforms offer benefits and safeguards for young users.
The trial is being watched closely around the world because its outcome could influence how social media companies are regulated and held accountable for their impacts on mental health.
