The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, is set to testify in a Los Angeles courtroom over allegations that the app’s design contributes to a youth mental health crisis. The case, part of a broader wave of U.S. lawsuits targeting social media companies, centers on claims that certain design features foster addictive behavior among children and young adults.
The lawsuit involves a 20-year-old woman who alleges she became addicted to Instagram at a young age due to features such as infinite scroll—an interface that continuously loads content without a stopping point. Her attorneys argue that internal company documents show Meta Platforms was aware of potential harms to minors while continuing to refine engagement-driven design elements.
Meta disputes the allegations, saying it has long worked to support young users and provide tools for parental oversight and user control. Company lawyers argue that internal discussions referenced by plaintiffs were aimed at addressing concerns and improving safeguards rather than amplifying risks. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is also expected to testify in the coming weeks.
The trial’s outcome could influence hundreds of similar cases in the United States and shape how platforms design features such as recommendation algorithms and continuous feeds. The issue has gained global attention, with countries including Australia and several European nations considering or enacting restrictions on minors’ access to social media.
