Written Just Two Weeks After U.S. State Lawsuits Filed
"Set Goal to Win Back Teenage Users Who Left"
Meta: "Not Inconsistent with Teen Protection Measures"
An internal Instagram document has revealed directives to make targeting teenagers the platform's top priority.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on December 28 (local time), this directive was drafted just two weeks after several U.S. state governments filed lawsuits against Meta Platforms (hereafter Meta), claiming that social networking services (SNS) operated by Meta, including Instagram, negatively impact adolescent mental health.
Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram at Meta Platforms, reportedly instructed business teams on November 6, 2023, to prioritize targeting teenagers-especially those in developed markets-as the number one task when planning for 2024. The activation of Meta's new text-based service "Threads" was listed as the second priority, according to the WP.
The WP confirmed this document along with other internal Meta documents created between 2023 and 2025. These included a multi-year plan designed to increase the influx and activity of teenagers on Instagram. According to the documents, Instagram set a goal at the end of 2023 to win back teenage users who had migrated to TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and other platforms, and began formulating plans to achieve this.
At that time, Instagram aimed to reverse the multi-year decline in teenage users in key developed markets such as North America and Europe by the end of 2024, and to become the world's largest teenage platform by 2027.
In particular, Meta was found to have considered various measures both internally and externally to increase teenage users. To help employees internalize the lifestyles of teenage target customers, Meta installed a "living museum" in its offices. Exhibits included photos of fast-food restaurants and shopping malls frequented by teenagers, as well as displays introducing unique selfie styles popular among youth. Employees were encouraged to highlight teen-friendly influencers, and Instagram's algorithm was adjusted to make it easier for new teenage users to find people they know. The company also instructed investment in paid marketing that emphasizes Instagram's role in helping teenagers build relationships with their friends.
It was revealed that Meta developed and implemented these plans even as warnings and lawsuits over Instagram's negative impact on teenagers were mounting. In 2021, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Meta's own internal research had already identified that Instagram contributed to body image anxiety among some teenage girls.
In October 2023, attorneys general from 41 out of 50 U.S. states, as well as Washington, DC, filed lawsuits claiming that "Meta made changes to its services to keep teenagers using Instagram even at the expense of their well-being, violating consumer protection laws."
In response to ongoing criticism, Meta executives introduced new restrictions on content for teenage users, enhanced parental control features, and encouraged the use of tools that suggest breaks for teenagers who spend long periods on the platform. Additionally, they blocked strangers from sending messages to teenagers on both Instagram and Facebook.
Nevertheless, criticism over the risks continues despite these changes. Meta spokesperson Ryan Daniels did not deny that such plans were designed to target teenagers. However, he stated that these initiatives are by no means in conflict with efforts to protect teenagers. He emphasized that Meta introduced a "teen account" feature in 2024, which restricts content to a level similar to PG-13 movies.
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