Ex-Meta employee claims it had a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy on child safety issues

A former Meta safety researcher alleges the company adhered to a "don't ask, don't tell" policy when it came to safeguarding underage users on Facebook and Instagram. Arturo Béjar, who worked on Meta's safety team from 2009 to 2015 and returned as a consultant between 2019 and 2021, testified in a major trial brought by 29 US states.

Béjar claimed Meta ignored child safety concerns to protect its business interests, despite having the ability to identify children circumventing age-related safety measures. He criticized Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, stating he felt the executive did not do enough to address safety concerns and created a misleading impression of the company's commitment to young users.

Béjar also accused Zuckerberg of relying too heavily on the platform's future user base, aged between 12 and 17, to secure business. The trial, which commenced on August 18, is expected to last around six weeks, with 29 states accusing Meta of exacerbating a teen mental health crisis via platform design and seeking substantial penalties, potentially reaching $200 billion.

Meta, however, denies any wrongdoing, arguing it has implemented protective measures such as parental controls and time limits for social media use.