Newly released court filings in the United States have revealed that a significant number of young Instagram users reported being exposed to explicit material they did not wish to see. The documents form part of a federal lawsuit in California and include extracts from a March 2025 deposition by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri.

According to the filing, nearly one in five users aged between 13 and 15 indicated in a 2021 survey that they had encountered nudity or sexual images on the platform that they did not want to view. The figure emerged from user feedback collected by the company rather than from an internal audit of specific posts.

Additional material disclosed in the case includes a January 2021 internal memo written by a Meta researcher. In the document, the researcher suggests that teenagers should be a strategic priority for the business, describing them as influential figures within their households. The memo argues that young users can shape the digital habits of siblings and even parents, making them important for user growth and retention.

Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, is currently facing mounting legal scrutiny from policymakers and families who allege its platforms contribute to harm among minors. Across the United States, thousands of cases filed in federal and state courts claim the company has designed features that encourage excessive use and contribute to mental health challenges for young people.

The deposition also referenced survey findings that around 8 per cent of respondents aged 13 to 15 said they had seen posts depicting self-harm or threats of self-harm on Instagram. Mosseri stated that much of the explicit content referenced in the survey was shared through private messages rather than public posts. He noted that monitoring private communications presents challenges because many users expect their direct messages to remain confidential.

In late 2025, Meta announced updated safeguards for teenage accounts. The company said it would remove images and videos containing nudity or explicit sexual activity, including material generated using artificial intelligence, while allowing certain exceptions for medical or educational purposes.

A Meta spokesperson said the company recognises the seriousness of the issue and continues to improve its safety measures. The spokesperson added that the business remains committed to refining its systems and policies to better protect younger users.

The ongoing litigation is expected to further examine how social media platforms balance user privacy, freedom of communication and the responsibility to shield minors from harmful content.