Zuckerberg put growth before child safety, ex-Meta exec alleges
Arturo Bejar, a vocal Meta critic, made the allegation in a landmark trial over claims brought by a coalition of states that could reshape Facebook and Instagram.
A former Meta engineering director, Arturo Bejar, alleged during his testimony in a landmark trial that CEO Mark Zuckerberg prioritized growth and engagement over child safety. Bejar claimed that Zuckerberg was heavily involved in decision-making, and the company's top-down culture ensured product changes only when he ordered them.
Bejar, who worked at Meta from 2009 to 2015, testified that safety concerns were secondary to growth on Facebook and Instagram. He disputed a statement by Zuckerberg in October 2021, calling it "so false, every part of it," and said Meta constantly used research to improve its products. Bejar also criticized Meta's safety record, testifying before a U.S. Senate committee in 2023 about the platform's failure to address harassment and harm to teenagers.
Meta faces thousands of similar lawsuits over alleged harm to children, and Bejar has been a key witness in three of the cases that have gone to trial. One of those cases resulted in $942 million in damages and penalties for Meta.
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