Instagram chief Adam Mosseri appeared in a Los Angeles court this week. The case pertains to allegations that the platform harmed the mental health of underage users. This trial, which lasted for about six weeks, has become a topic of discussion across America, because its decision can determine the accountability of social media companies in the future.
‘Using Instagram for 16 hours is not an addiction’
During the hearing, when he was asked whether using the app for 16-16 hours a day is not an addiction? On this, Mosseri clarified, “It would be more correct to call it ‘problematic use’ rather than addiction.” He compared it to watching movies on TV late at night and said that some people feel fine even after staying online for hours.
300 complaints remained unheard
The case of the main complainant in the case, a young woman (KGM), shocked everyone in the court. It was revealed that she had filed more than 300 reports of bullying on Instagram, but Mosseri admitted that she had no knowledge about it. Apart from this, questions were also raised on those filters which change the facial structure. Meta’s own executives feared that these filters were breaking the self-confidence of youth, yet the company relaxed its decision to ban them.
protest even outside the court
The atmosphere remained heated outside the court also. Many parents and protesters came to express concern about the impact of social media on children. One of them was Mariano Janin, who lost his 14-year-old daughter Mia in 2021. He came from London to watch the trial. He said that companies should change their business model and give priority to the safety of children. According to him, tech companies have both technology and resources.
Meta and other companies also under siege
The lawyers of Meta Platforms argue that the girl had many challenges in her life apart from Instagram and the platform alone cannot be held responsible for her mental problems. YouTube’s name is also included in this case. Whereas Snapchat and TikTok have settled outside the court in similar cases. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and YouTube head Neil Mohan are also likely to testify in the coming days. This case can prove to be a major turning point in determining the responsibility of the entire social media industry.
