Instagram has been closely monitoring user engagement, with executives noting significant milestones in daily usage. According to recent disclosures during Mark Zuckerberg's court testimony, the average time spent on the platform increased from 40 minutes per day in 2023 to 46 minutes by 2026.
This focus on user engagement forms a critical aspect of a lawsuit currently taking place in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where Zuckerberg is making his first appearance before a jury.
The case, titled "K.G.M. v. Platforms et al.," is examining whether social media companies are responsible for mental health challenges among youth linked to their platforms. While Snap and TikTok reached settlements prior to the trial, Meta and YouTube have chosen to contest the claims, with executives from both companies set to testify.
The plaintiff, a 19-year-old identified as K.G.M. or "Kaley," alleges that her early exposure to social media negatively impacted her mental health, leading to technology addiction and depression, including suicidal thoughts.
Meta has countered these claims, asserting that the company is not liable for Kaley's mental health issues. "The jury's task is to determine if Instagram significantly contributed to her struggles. Evidence will reveal that she faced numerous challenges well before engaging with social media," stated Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway.
Legal representatives for the plaintiffs aim to demonstrate that Meta intentionally encouraged increased user engagement, even among minors. During his testimony, Zuckerberg faced inquiries regarding his 2024 statement to Congress about prohibiting children under 13 from using Instagram, despite internal documents revealing that approximately 4 million users under this age were active on the platform as early as 2015.
Zuckerberg defended his congressional statement, clarifying that his comments reflected company policy and that Instagram actively removed underage users when identified. He also distinguished between the "milestones" tracked by the company and specific "goals" set for the team.
However, other internal communications cited by the plaintiffs indicated a clear interest in the teen demographic. One former product manager noted, "Our overarching company goal is total teen time spent," while another email from Nick Clegg, a former advisor to Zuckerberg, described Instagram's age restrictions as "unenforceable."
Despite acknowledging the presence of underage users, Instagram only began requiring users to enter their birth dates in August 2021, according to the plaintiffs. Meta contends that it started collecting age information at sign-up in 2019 for new users.
Recently, Instagram has introduced various protections for teens and parental controls, yet its ambition to engage younger audiences persists. Internal documents referenced during the trial suggest Meta's goal for Instagram is to become the leading platform for teens in terms of monthly active users both in the U.S. and worldwide.
