Instagram Chief Calls 16-Hour Use 'Problematic,' Not Addiction—What's Your Take?

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, recently spoke in a California court about the effects of social media on young people. He was asked if using Instagram for 16 hours in one day was a sign of addiction. Mosseri said that while this is definitely a problem, it does not mean someone is addicted in a medical sense. He explained that everyone is different, and what might be too much for one person could be fine for another. Mosseri also said that Instagram should do everything possible to keep young users safe, but it is hard to say exactly how much use is too much.

During the court case, lawyers talked about a survey that Instagram did with 269,000 users. The survey found that 60 percent of people had seen or experienced bullying on Instagram in just one week. The main person in the case, known as K. G. M, had reported bullying over 300 times. Mosseri said he did not know about all these reports. He also said that he is not an expert in addiction, but he knows that using Instagram for 16 hours in one day is not healthy. The lawyers for Instagram’s parent company, Meta, argued that K. G. M had other problems in her life that were not caused by Instagram.

The case is important because many people are worried about how social media affects young people’s mental health. Outside the court, parents held up pictures of their children who they say were harmed by social media. One father, Mariano Janin, traveled from London to support the idea that social media should be safer for kids. He said that companies like Instagram have the money and technology to protect children. Other big leaders from companies like YouTube and Meta are also expected to speak in court. The case will help decide if social media companies should be responsible for the mental health of young people who use their apps. This trial could change how social media companies operate and how they protect their users.