Former Meta engineer says Instagram took a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ approach on kids under 13
OAKLAND, California (AP) — A former engineering director at Meta who has testified before Congress about child safety on Instagram told jurors…
In a landmark trial in Oakland, California, a former Meta engineering director testified that the company operated on a "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding child safety on its platforms, prioritizing profits over user well-being. Arturo Béjar stated that Meta's primary focus was on user engagement, often at the expense of mental health.
The landmark lawsuit, filed by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, among others, accuses Meta of knowingly designing features to addict children to the platform and hide these harms from the public. The company denies these allegations and asserts its commitment to safety. Béjar emphasized the company's "attitude" towards users under 13, stating, "If you step away from the product, they are not going to make any money."
The trial is expected to last about six weeks, with the lawsuit accusing Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent, in violation of federal law.
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