Adam Mosseri testified that Instagram’s Take a Break feature helped less than hoped
ThinkingNews Desk · how this was written
Adam Mosseri testified that Instagram’s “Take a Break” teen-safety feature was not set as the default for nearly three years after its launch and that its impact fell short of expectations. He also said it was “news to me” that Instagram employees had limited his exposure to teen-safety data.
Written from all 3 reports below, not from any single one.
How it was reported
- Engadget·Adam Mosseri says it's 'news to me' that Instagram employees limited his exposure to teen safety data
Adam Mosseri testified he was unaware that Instagram staff were directed by a company lawyer to delete teen-safety statistics from a 2023 slide deck that showed suicide-related and non-recommendable content reaching teens at 2.5- and 1.5-times adult rates. He said he does not control pre-filtering of information and depends on legal review for compliance, and that the “take a break” feature has achieved only 1.8% initial adoption since its 2021 launch.
- TechMeme·State AGs' trial: Adam Mosseri denies Instagram stalled by not making its "Take a Break" teen safety feature the default until nearly three years after launch (Reuters)
Instagram head Adam Mosseri testified that the “Take a Break” feature, designed to limit teenage screen time, was not set as the default for nearly three years after its launch because few teens used it voluntarily. He denied that Meta deliberately stalled the feature, while state attorneys general continue a lawsuit over alleged social-media addiction and discuss a potential mid-trial settlement.
- The Next Web·Adam Mosseri testified that Instagram’s Take a Break feature helped less than hoped
Adam Mosseri told the Oakland federal jury that Instagram’s “Take a Break” feature was used by only 1.8% of teenagers, far below Meta’s hopes, and that the low adoption rate was never disclosed to parents or the public. He noted the feature became default for teen accounts only in late 2024, after litigation began, and reiterated Meta’s stance that social-media addiction is not a recognized clinical condition.
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