Meta Platforms appeared before a Tennessee jury on Monday to defend Instagram against allegations that the platform was designed to encourage compulsive use among teenagers and that the company misrepresented its safety.

The lawsuit, filed by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti's office, alleges that Meta violated the state's consumer protection law by designing features that promote habitual use among teen users while failing to adequately disclose potential risks. The complaint further alleges that the company possessed internal research indicating psychological harm to young users but continued introducing and maintaining such features without sufficient warnings.

The state also alleges that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was informed by company officials about research linking Instagram to adverse mental health effects among teenagers but did not take adequate corrective action. Features cited in the lawsuit include autoplay, Reels, push notifications and disappearing content, which the state argues were designed to increase user engagement.

Meta has denied the allegations. A company spokesperson said the company has spent nearly a decade developing age-appropriate safety measures, parental controls and default protections for teenage users. Meta also argues that any alleged harm stems from user-generated content rather than the platform's design and maintains that such claims are protected under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

The Tennessee case is among several lawsuits accusing Meta of designing its platforms to be addictive. Earlier this year, a New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $375 million in a separate case, while a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google liable for defective design and negligence, awarding $6 million in damages. Zuckerberg has denied the allegations, saying Meta does not seek to maximise users' time on Instagram. The Tennessee trial adds to growing legal scrutiny over social media design and teen safety.