Adam Mosseri Testifies on Instagram's Take a Break Feature
Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, testified that Instagram’s “Take a Break” feature had underperformed, with only 1.8% of teenagers using it, according to internal documents. He acknowledged that Meta never disclosed this low adoption rate to parents or the public.
Key Points:
-
Mosseri stated that while the feature "helped, but not nearly as much as we hoped," the two seemingly contradictory figures (adoption rate and user retention) are distinct metrics.
-
The case, brought by attorneys general from several states, alleges that Meta withheld effectiveness data even after being sued in 2023, introducing "Take a Break" as the default for teen accounts only in late 2024.
-
The plaintiffs argue that Meta's delay in releasing an effective feature suggests intentionality in its initial design and subsequent silence.
-
Mosseri, a prominent voice in Instagram's teen safety efforts, acknowledged that he was limited in the data he reviewed during the trial.
-
Meta's defense maintains that social media addiction is not a recognized clinical condition, citing significant investments in teen safety and disputing the plaintiffs' damage calculations.
The trial, which began on August 12th, is expected to last approximately five more weeks.