Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri testified on Tuesday during a federal trial that Meta did not hide negative information about the low use of its teen safety features. In an Oakland, California courtroom, Mosseri disputed allegations by US prosecutors that his company concealed data from the public.
Key Takeaways
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri testified that only 1.8% of teens used the 'Take a Break' feature before it was made default in September 2024.
- Mosseri denied allegations Meta hid low use rates of teen safety features
- Only 1-2% of accounts had enabled 'Take a Break'
- Former employees testified safety features were difficult to find and not widely used
- States seek up to $200 billion in damages for alleged harm to young users
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 2 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-a-break-adoption-rate | 1 Difference | Different accounts of 'Take a Break' adoption rates. | ▼ |
| Trial-duration | Broad Agreement | Trial expected to last through September. | |
| Potential-damages | Broad Agreement | $200 billion in damages sought by states. |
Take-a-break-adoption-rate
▼Different accounts of 'Take a Break' adoption rates.
Trial-duration
Broad AgreementTrial expected to last through September.
Potential-damages
Broad Agreement$200 billion in damages sought by states.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The historic lawsuit, brought by 29 US states, accuses Meta of deliberately designing addictive products that harm young people's mental health and collecting data on children under 13 without parental permission. The trial began last week and is expected to last through September. If found liable, Meta could face damages as high as $200 billion and be forced to change its product designs.
Mosseri acknowledged that only 1-2% of teens used the 'Take a Break' feature before it was made default in Teen Accounts launched in 2024. He admitted publicly stating that opt-in rates were low but did not disclose specific numbers, saying most teens didn't want it yet they decided to push forward with it anyway. Prosecutors questioned Mosseri about his blog post announcing the feature just before testifying in a Senate committee hearing.
Former Meta employees testified that safety features like 'Take a Break' and 'Quiet Mode' were difficult to find and not widely used, suggesting they might be designed to fail. Arturo Bejar, former engineering director, called 'Take a Break' a feature designed to fail while George Volichenko, data scientist who worked on safety features at Instagram in 2022 and 2023, stated that adoption rates of such features were very low.
Meta has denied all allegations, asserting that its safety teams strive to be industry-leading and that Mosseri's testimony showed the company's commitment to improving user experience. The trial is part of a broader surge of cases against tech companies following studies linking social media use to mental health issues in young users.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 4 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.