- Instagram boss Adam Mosseri insists the app is not addictive
- Social media apps are on trial for causing mental health problems
- In some cases there is “problematic use”, admits Mosseri
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram since 2018, has said some interesting things about addiction on the platform. Mosseri spoke at a high-profile trial in California investigating the mental health impacts of social media.
The social platforms of Meta and YouTube are currently in the hot seat. They are accused of designing their apps to be as addictive as possible, leading to compulsive use that leads to health problems such as body dysmorphia, anxiety and depression.
“It is important to differentiate between clinical addiction and problematic use,” Mosseri said (via the BBC). When told that the lead plaintiff in the case, known as KGM, had once spent 16 hours on the platform, he said “that sounds like problematic use.”
“I’m sure I said I was addicted to a Netflix show when I binged it late one night, but I don’t think that’s the same as clinical addiction,” Mosseri went on to say, refusing to label the user behavior described in the essay as addictive.
‘Digital casinos’
While Meta and YouTube defend themselves, Snap and TikTok have already reached an out-of-court settlement with KGM. The 20-year-old California woman sued the social media platforms in 2023, and opening statements were heard this week.
KGM attorney Mark Lanier has argued that these apps and services are essentially “digital casinos,” noting that internal documents from these accused companies have compared their technology to that of Big Tobacco.
Meta’s defense is that KGM’s mental health problems were primarily due to other factors in his life, including abuse and problems at home. However, the plaintiff had previously made more than 300 complaints to Instagram about harassment on the platform.
The lawsuit comes as social media companies face increasing scrutiny over the impacts their algorithms and features have on users. Late last year, Australia banned those under 16 from accessing social media, a move other countries are also considering.
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