Leaked documents from 2023 reveal Instagram’s strategy to bring teens back on app two weeks after dozens of US states sued Meta

Two weeks after several US states filed a lawsuit against Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta for allegedly harming children’s health by hooking adolescents on addictive algorithms, Instagram’s leadership swung into action to win back teens on the app, internal documents from 2023 to 2025 viewed by The Washington Post, have revealed. According to these documents, Instagram head Adam Mosseri directed his team to prioritise teenagers above almost every other business goal.“As you are building out your 2024 plans, I’m asking that the business teams stay laser focused on 1) teens... and 2) Threads, and in that order,” Mosseri wrote in a November 6, 2023, memo, the report said. It pointed out an ‘aggressive, multiyear campaign’ to reverse a “years-long slide” among younger users in developed markets. Instagram wanted to become the world’s largest platform for teens by 2027, the documents show, and to achieve this aim, Instagram used multiple tactics.One of the methods was to make adjustments in algorithm. The company’s plan was to tweak code and help new teen users find real-world acquaintances more easily. Another ‘trick’ was to influencer promotion, wherein the leadership reportedly directed staff to boost visibility for “teen-friendly” creators. Thirdly, Instagram decided to invest in paid advertising that emphasised the app's role in social connection.Moreover, to keep employees ‘connected’ to the mindset of their target demographic, Meta reportedly installed a “living museum” in its offices. In at least one exhibit, there were photos of teen hangouts like malls and fast-food restaurants, alongside instructions for staff on how to take “teen-style” selfies.The report said that the company did not deny the campaign by the photo and video app to win over young users but highlighted that these initiatives did not “[stand] in contrast to our well-documented safety efforts.” “We’ve released features like Teen Accounts and revamped them to be inspired by 13+ movie ratings — despite the fact this resulted in lower teen usage — because it’s the right thing to do for teens and parents,” said company spokesman Ryan Daniels.In 2024, Mosseri told “Good Morning America” that the company has “really decided that parents should be our North Star,”“They’ve been clear on what they are most concerned about and we’re trying to proactively address those concerns,” he added.