Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, denied allegations that Meta had hidden negative information about its products from the public, while testifying before a federal court in the state of California as part of a lawsuit led by 29 U.S. states against the company.
The lawsuit examines whether Meta’s products were designed in a way that encourages dependent use among young people, and whether this may have contributed to problems including anxiety and depression, extending to suicidal thoughts or attempts, according to Anadolu Agency, citing a report by The Guardian. These allegations do not constitute a final judgment against the company, as the trial is still ongoing.
What Did Mosseri Say in Court?
Mosseri responded to questions concerning the accusation that Meta withheld negative information, saying that he was not trying to encourage his team to hide anything. However, in answering why the company did not publish data concerning a decline in the use of safety features aimed at young people, he explained that the company does not publish every statistic it has.
This answer is directly significant to the case because the dispute is not limited to whether safety tools exist, but also includes the nature of the data the company chooses to disclose to the public and the adequacy of its disclosure regarding the use and effectiveness of those tools. Whether this level of disclosure meets legal requirements will be part of the court’s assessment.
A Multi-Track Lawsuit
The allegations by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey are based on state laws, while the allegations by the other 25 states rely on federal laws. The article stated that the “design and dependence” allegations brought by the 25 states will be considered in separate proceedings later.
The trial is expected to continue for weeks, with testimony from executives, current and former employees, and psychology experts. A former Meta employee had also previously accused the company of prioritizing financial interests over children’s safety, a narrative the company rejects and that the court is addressing within the framework of the evidence and testimony presented.
What Could Change in Practice?
The jury in this case has only an advisory role, while Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will issue the final decision regarding Meta’s liability and any fines or measures that may be imposed on it. According to the article, the ruling could affect similar lawsuits in other states and could prompt Meta to change how Facebook and Instagram operate.
Meta said that losing the lawsuit could expose it to penalties of up to $1.4 trillion, a figure the article described as close to the company’s market value and unprecedented in legal history. However, the final outcome, and the scale of any penalty or operational changes, remain open questions until the trial concludes and the judge issues a decision.
Editorial Analysis from certi.news
The most important information here is not merely the CEO’s denial of the allegations, but the shift in the discussion toward how platforms are designed, how their risks to minors are measured, and how the results of safety features are disclosed. If the court finds Meta liable, the case could become a practical reference for evaluating the design of social media platforms and the data technology companies provide about protecting children. At the current stage, however, the source does not establish that the court has resolved any of these allegations.