The news: Meta bought thousands of national TV ads on Instagram safety ahead of its teen addiction trial that started Monday in Los Angeles. The case will determine whether its platforms and algorithms were built to keep young users scrolling, per Bloomberg.

The social media giant has run more than 3,500 unskippable commercials across CNN, Fox, and ABC since November, promoting Instagram’s teen accounts, which require parental approval, restrict contacts and sensitive content.

The campaign paused briefly in January, and resumed this month as jury selection began, per public data collected by the Tech Oversight Project. A Meta spokesperson said the company has been promoting teen accounts since September 2024.

Zooming in: Meta spent nearly $700,000 on a single teen-focused TV ad that has generated 6.5 million impressions since April, according to AdImpact data cited by Bloomberg.

That spend buys more than airtime. TV is unskippable and delivers mass reach at scale. The Tech Oversight Project describes the wave of spots as a charm offensive aimed at shaping opinion in Los Angeles, where the trial is unfolding, and in Washington, DC.

The case, which NPR compared to Big Tobacco–era litigation, could establish a precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits waiting in the wings.

Implications for the industry: Three marketing tactics stand out.

• Reputation as risk management. Paid media is becoming a shield in high-stakes legal fights. Expect more brand campaigns tied directly to policy debates and courtroom moments.
• Safety as positioning. Product guardrails are moving from backend settings to front-and-center messaging.
• Mass media as a credibility reset. In a performance-led era, national TV is reasserting itself as the platform brands use to defend trust at scale.

Meta’s trial could cause ripple effects across social, gaming, and video platforms. Youth safety design and algorithm transparency standards could become industry benchmarks, not voluntary features.

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