Feb 11 β€’ 18:53 UTC πŸ‡«πŸ‡· France Le Figaro

In the trial against Google and Meta, the head of Instagram refutes the notion of 'clinical addiction'

During the trial in Los Angeles, Adam Mosseri, the CEO of Instagram, contested the idea of 'clinical addiction' to social media, opting to refer to it as 'problematic use.'

In Los Angeles, at the trial concerning social media addiction, Adam Mosseri, the CEO of Instagram, addressed the concept of user addiction to digital platforms. He argued against the notion of 'clinical addiction,' suggesting that the term 'problematic use' is more appropriate for describing how individuals interact with social media. Mosseri's comments came during cross-examination, where he was posed a question by the plaintiff's attorney, Mark Lanier, highlighting the ongoing debate about how social media platforms may impact mental health and user behavior.

The discussions at the trial are crucial, as they aim to enlighten the twelve jurors on whether Google, Meta, and their respective subsidiaries like YouTube and Instagram have intentionally designed their platforms to encourage excessive use and gaming. This trial is part of a broader scrutiny over tech giants and their role in issues concerning mental health, particularly among younger users who may be vulnerable to these addictive features.

Mosseri's stance reflects a significant debate within the tech industry and among mental health professionals about the terminology used in discussing technology use. By differentiating between 'clinical addiction' and 'problematic use,' Mosseri seems to advocate for a perspective that does not strictly categorize social media interactions as addictive, which could have implications on how both users and regulators understand and address the challenges tied to social media consumption.

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