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Instagram Head Testifies as Reports Surface of Mid‑Trial Settlement in 29‑State Case

The executive testimony over low use of teen safety tools and internal slides could shape whether states win major penalties or require structural changes to Meta's platforms.

Overview

  • Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head, told jurors on Tuesday that the 'Take a Break' safety feature had very low voluntary uptake in early tests and that most teens did not enable it before it was later turned on by default for teen accounts.
  • Francesco Fogu, Instagram’s director of product design, acknowledged removing a slide that showed teenagers saw about 1.5 times more bullying, suicide‑related, hate, nudity and violent content than adults.
  • Former employees testified the teen‑safety team lacked leadership backing and that features like Take a Break and Quiet Mode were hard to find or set up, which contributed to adoption rates of roughly 1.8% and 8.7% respectively.
  • Multiple news outlets reported that Meta and several state attorneys general have discussed a possible mid‑trial settlement, and states signaled press conferences while the trial continues with jurors due to give an advisory verdict and Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to rule on liability.
  • The states are seeking roughly $200 billion in civil penalties and structural changes while Meta has estimated exposure up to $1.4 trillion, a result that could force default safety settings, data limits for minors and wider changes across the tech industry and everyday experience for teen users.