Nearly one in five Instagram users aged 13 to 15 told Meta they encountered unwanted nude or sexual images on the platform, according to court documents unsealed Friday in a California federal lawsuit. The filing includes portions of a March 2025 deposition from Instagram head Adam Mosseri that reveals both the scale of harmful content reaching young teens and Meta's internal view of this demographic as crucial for growth.
About 8 percent of users in the same age group reported seeing someone harm themselves or threaten to do so on Instagram during a 2021 survey cited in Mosseri's testimony. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone confirmed the statistics came from user surveys about their experiences rather than a review of actual posts.
The documents also contain a January 2021 internal memo where a Meta researcher argued the company should prioritize teen users because they act as "catalysts" within households, influencing how younger siblings and parents use social media apps. "If we're looking to acquire (and retain) new users we need to recognize a teen's influence within the household to help do so," the researcher wrote.
Mosseri defended Meta's approach during his deposition, stating that self-reported surveys are "notoriously problematic" and that the company generally doesn't share such results publicly. He noted that most sexually explicit images reach users through private messages, creating tension between content moderation and privacy concerns.
"A lot of people don't want us reading their messages," Mosseri testified about the challenge of reviewing private communications.
Meta faces thousands of lawsuits in U.S. federal and state courts alleging its products are designed to be addictive and contribute to a mental health crisis among minors. Global leaders have similarly accused the company of harming young users through its platforms.
The company maintains it has made progress on safety measures while acknowledging ongoing work remains.
"We're proud of the progress we've made, and we're always working to do better," Stone said in response to questions about the court filings.
