'Safety Was An Afterthought': Ex-Meta Director Accuses Instagram Of Putting Growth Over Child Safety
New Delhi: A former Meta engineering director testified in a US federal court that Instagram took a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach to children under 13, prioritising user engagement and growth over safety, accusing the company of harming young users, according to multiple reports. Arturo Bejar -- who has previously testified before Congress on child safety -- said during his second day on the…
A former Meta engineering director, Arturo Bejar, testified in a US federal court that the company prioritized growth and user engagement over child safety on Instagram. Bejar claimed the company took a "don't ask, don't tell" approach to children under 13, focusing on metrics like user numbers and time spent on the platform rather than safety.
According to Bejar, Meta had sophisticated systems for detecting fake accounts but lacked goals for detecting underage users. The lawsuit, brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey among 29 states, alleges Meta knowingly collected data from children under 13 without parental consent, violating federal law. Bejar also criticized Instagram's safety features, stating they were ineffective because users could easily disable them. Meta has denied the allegations, stating its evidence will demonstrate its commitment to safety.
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