Instagram Head Adam Mosseri Testifies Before Congress

The executive who runs Instagram faced tough questions from US senators over whether the photo-sharing app puts profits before the well-being of young people. Members of the Senate Commerce consumer protection subcommittee asked Instagram’s Adam Mosseri about ads targeting young people, how the platform promotes inappropriate content and what legal options are available for users who suffered harm because of the social network. Mosseri pledged transparency, touted recent product changes and asked Congress to pass new regulations. “I want to assure you we do have the same goal: We all want teens to be safe online,” Mosseri said during the hearing. “This is an industrywide challenge that requires industrywide solutions and industrywide standards.” Many senators, however, rejected Mosseri’s conclusion. Sen Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) said Instagram’s parent company Meta was trying to keep kids addicted to its products through marketing aimed at increasing its digital advertising business despite widespread concern among parents. Mosseri replied that the company tries to make the network as “relevant” as possible while also investing in programs to maintain users’ safety. The testy exchange, and other pleas from lawmakers for Mosseri to understand the real-world harm his platform causes, is part of growing political backlash over the company’s handling of young users.