Zuckerberg in court: They accuse Meta of deliberately creating addiction among young users

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri was the first Silicon Valley executive to testify on February 11, where he told jurors that he rejects the concept of social media addiction and prefers to talk about “problematic use” – a term preferred by the Meta.

“I’m sure I said I was addicted to the Netflix series when I watched it really late one night, but I don’t think that’s the same as a clinical addiction,” Mosseri said.

In the gallery of the courtroom, mothers whose teenage children committed suicide visibly tried to contain their anger. They camped overnight in the rain in front of the courthouse to secure seats.

A day earlier, attorneys for the plaintiffs called psychiatrist Anna Lembke to explain how social media can act as a “gateway drug” for young people, redirecting their still-developing brains toward addictive behavior.

Confronted with internal email exchanges, Mosseri defended Zuckerberg’s decision in 2020 to allow cosmetic surgery filters on Instagram, despiteč strong objections from other managers who warned about their harmful effects on young girls.

Some executives have insisted on reintroducing filters – which show users what cosmetic procedures look like – to avoid losing market share amid growing competition from TikTok.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan was also scheduled to testify, but attorneys for the plaintiffs said Tuesday they would call another YouTube executive instead.

The Los Angeles trial runs parallel to a similar national case before a federal judge in Oakland, California, which could result in another trial in 2026.

Meta also faces a trial this month in New Mexico, where prosecutors accuse the company of prioritizing profits over protecting minors from sexual predators.