In a high-stakes courtroom showdown that could redefine the liability of Silicon Valley giants, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has flatly denied the existence of "social media addiction" as a clinical reality, dismissing the claims of ruined lives as merely "problematic use."

Testifying in a landmark trial in Los Angeles, Mosseri faced a grilling from plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier that was less an interrogation and more a dissection. The case, brought by families who argue that Meta engineered its platforms to hook children like "digital narcotics," strikes at the very heart of the social media business model. Mosseri’s defense was cool, calculated, and deeply controversial: he compared excessive Instagram use to binge-watching a Netflix show, a trivialization that drew audible gasps from the gallery where grieving mothers sat holding photos of teenagers who took their own lives.

The "Netflix Defense"

"I'm sure I said that I've been addicted to a Netflix show when I binged it really late one night, but I don't think it's the same thing as clinical addiction," Mosseri stated. This rhetorical pivot attempts to blur the line between entertainment and compulsion. However, Lanier was relentless, challenging Mosseri’s lack of medical qualifications and painting a picture of a corporation that knowingly exploits the dopamine loops of developing brains for profit.

The stakes could not be higher. A loss for Meta here would pierce the corporate veil, potentially opening the floodgates for thousands of lawsuits similar to the litigation that brought down Big Tobacco and opioid manufacturers. The plaintiffs argue that features like "infinite scroll" and algorithmic rewards are not neutral design choices but weaponized psychology.

• The Defense: Meta argues "social media addiction" is not a recognized medical diagnosis.
• The Plaintiff: Kaley G.M. and others, alleging severe mental harm and suicidal ideation driven by the platform.
• The Impact: This trial serves as a bellwether for the future regulation of the entire tech industry.

Tears in the Gallery

The disconnect between the clinical legal arguments and the raw emotion in the courtroom was palpable. While Mosseri parsed definitions of addiction, parents in the audience represented the human cost of the algorithm. For them, this is not a debate about terminology; it is a reckoning for the depression, anxiety, and loss of life they attribute directly to the apps on their children's phones.

The Verdict of History

Regardless of the legal outcome, the trial has already succeeded in putting the internal logic of Meta on display. By denying the addictive nature of his product while simultaneously optimizing it for maximum engagement, Mosseri walks a razor-thin ethical line. The court must now decide if that line has crossed into criminal negligence.

"It's not a pastime," Lanier thundered. "It's a trap."