Mark Zuckerberg admits to prioritizing teen engagement on Instagram
What's the story
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently testified in a deposition that he has resisted censoring content on his company's platforms, particularly in the context of cosmetic filters on Instagram. The deposition was shown to jurors in a landmark trial examining the effects of social media on children and teenagers. Prosecutors allege that Meta violated state consumer protection laws by not disclosing what it knew about the dangers of social media addiction and child sexual exploitation on its platforms.
Addiction debate
'Addictive' is not how we intend our products to work
In pretrial depositions from last year, prosecutors confronted Zuckerberg with internal communications and user emails dating back to Facebook's early days in 2008. The messages discussed "problematic" and addictive use of social media. When asked if users have repeatedly told his company that they find its products addictive, Zuckerberg took issue with the term "addictive," saying it's often used colloquially and not how they intend their products to work.
Engagement goals
Setting targets to increase teen engagement on Meta's platforms
Zuckerberg admitted that he had set targets for his employees to increase the time teenagers spent on its platform as part of efforts to boost business revenue and user numbers. He said, "Yes, I think we focused on time spent as one of the major engagement goals." However, he added that since 2017, they have been focusing on other metrics for user engagement.
Filter debate
Censoring content on Instagram
The deposition also touched upon Zuckerberg's decision to lift a temporary ban on Instagram filters that altered people's appearances in a way that seemed to promote plastic surgery. He said, "I care a lot about not cracking down on the ways that people can express themselves." However, he added there was always pressure to censor their services but didn't find anecdotal examples convincing enough as clear evidence of potential harm.
Safety concerns
Jury watched video of Mosseri being grilled about Meta's policies
On Tuesday, the New Mexico jury watched a video of Instagram head Adam Mosseri being grilled about Meta's safety policies, corporate profits, and social media features. He was also questioned about policies for young users that could lead to unwanted interactions with adults. The New Mexico case and another trial in Los Angeles could pave the way for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies.