Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has testified that spending up to 16 hours a day on the platform constitutes “problematic use” rather than clinical addiction, a distinction that has sparked intense debate during an ongoing high-stakes trial in Los Angeles.
The comments emerged as Mosseri, who has led Instagram for eight years, took the stand in a case accusing Meta (Instagram’s parent company) and YouTube of designing addictive features that harm minors’ mental health. The trial, which began this week and could run for up to six weeks, is one of the most significant legal challenges yet to the social media industry’s responsibility for youth well-being.
Problematic vs. clinical addiction: Mosseri clarifies
When plaintiffs’ lawyers pointed to a lead plaintiff, referred to as K.G.M., who logged a single-day session of 16 hours on Instagram, Mosseri described the behaviour as “problematic use.” He quickly added, “It’s important to differentiate between clinical addiction and problematic use.”
He elaborated that some people can spend extended periods online and still maintain normal functioning in other areas of life. Drawing a comparison, Mosseri said, “I’m sure I’ve said that I’ve been addicted to a Netflix show when I binged it really late one night, but I don’t think it’s the same thing as clinical addiction.” He stressed that he is not an expert on addiction and that the term should be reserved for clinically diagnosed conditions.
The testimony has reignited criticism that tech executives may be downplaying the severity of excessive platform use to shield corporate liability.
Meta’s defense on the broader trial context
Mosseri also acknowledged gaps in Meta’s oversight, admitting he was unaware that K.G.M. had submitted over 300 reports of bullying on Instagram. He discussed internal debates around beauty filters, noting that Meta once restricted filters that went beyond basic makeup effects due to concerns over body image, though he confirmed the policy had since been “modified.”
Meta’s legal team has argued that K.G.M.’s mental health struggles were influenced by multiple life factors, not solely Instagram. In contrast, several other platforms — including Snapchat and TikTok — have already settled similar lawsuits out of court. Upcoming witnesses in this case include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan.
Outside court, affected families and protesters expressed frustration. Mariano Janin, whose 14-year-old daughter Mia died by suicide in 2021, told reporters, “If they changed their business model it would be different. They should protect kids. They have the technology; they have the funds.”