Former Meta engineer resumes testimony in landmark trial over social media's harm to young users
Arturo Bejar, who worked at Meta from 2009 to 2015 before returning to the company as an independent contractor from 2019 to 2021, is the first witness in a landmark trial over claims brought by a coalition of states accusing the company of designing its platforms to addict young users. Meta, which denies the states' allegations and says it stands by its efforts to protect teens, has argued that…
Arturo Bejar, a former Facebook engineering director and critic, will resume his testimony on Wednesday in a landmark trial that could reshape Instagram and Facebook. The trial, brought by a coalition of states, accuses Meta of designing its platforms to addict young users, mislead the public about safety, and illegally collect data from users under 13.
Bejar, who worked at Meta from 2009 to 2015 and returned as an independent contractor in 2019, has been outspoken about his concerns over the company's impact on teens. He flagged these concerns to Meta leadership, highlighting a gap between the prevalence of policy-violating content and the actual harm experienced by users. The trial, which is currently scheduled to last six weeks, includes claims from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to exploit young users, causing anxiety, depression, and even suicide.
The trial also addresses Meta's alleged violation of federal law by improperly collecting and using personal data of children.
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