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Question Everything

I Was 11 When Instagram Took Over My Life

Question Everything

Brian Reed

News, News Commentary, Society & Culture, Documentary, Technology

4.6 • 707 Ratings

🗓️ 9 April 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Taylor Little was 11 years old when they lied about their age to sign up for Instagram. Now, 13 years later, they’re one of thousands of people suing the company, accusing Instagram of purposely addicting them as a child and driving them to years of mental health struggles. 

Taylor takes Brian inside their dark and twisted experience with the app. They say it all started with a suggestion Instagram sent them to visit an account they didn’t follow, which they developed a morbid fascination with.

Who bears responsibility for what happened to Taylor? Is it Instagram? The users who posted the content that consumed them? Their mom? 

Today’s show deals with issues of self harm and suicide. If you or someone you know are struggling with these issues, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. 

Question Everything is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter.

Guests: 

  • Taylor Little, plaintiff in social media trial

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Something wild happened two weeks ago that I really wasn't sure I'd ever see, which is that meta and Google were found liable for creating social media apps that they knew were harmful to kids.

0:16.5

A jury in L.A. found that the company's designed Instagram and YouTube to hook people in a way that was leading to major mental health problems.

0:23.8

Evidence came out in trial showing YouTube was designed using the same behavioral playbook as slot machines,

0:29.4

unpredictable rewards that keep you coming back.

0:32.2

And internal messages came out between meta employees comparing Instagram to a drug and themselves to drug pushers.

0:38.5

The verdict is a sea change.

0:40.8

It opens a door for people to hold technology companies responsible for the way kids and adults

0:45.5

possibly get information on the internet.

0:48.3

We don't know yet what it will unleash for better or worse.

0:51.3

As you know, this is something I've been thinking about and working through a lot on this show. Last week, I talked to one of the lawyers at the center of the case in L.A. This week, I speak to a young person whose case is one of the thousands coming up next. And just to let you know, we will be discussing self-harm and attempted suicide. I remember in fifth grade was when people started getting Instagrams and stuff.

1:13.3

And I was like, that's dumb.

1:14.9

I was like, that's ridiculous.

1:16.5

I'm going to go ride my bike.

1:18.1

This is Taylor Little.

1:19.5

Taylor's 23 now.

1:21.0

But they were 11 when they got their first social media account.

1:24.3

There's a lot of debate from lawyers and experts over what the implications are now that the tech

1:28.8

companies might be on the hook for what someone like Taylor went through. But I think to really

1:33.2

understand this whole situation, you got to hear from people like Taylor directly.

1:37.4

Sixth grade, it was a big shift where everyone was on social media. And I started, I think,

1:47.0

caring a bit more about social stuff. And there was that sort of social incentive that everyone was on it. And I made a Snapchat and an Instagram.

1:54.6

And I think maybe a Tumblr to all at once. Back then, Taylor identified as a girl, but now

...

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