Meta Insider Blames Zuckerberg for Child Safety Failures

Arturo Bejar, a former engineering director at Meta, testified in an Oakland court that CEO Mark Zuckerberg was responsible for a corporate culture that may have led the company to shirk its responsibility to protect children using Facebook and Instagram.

Bejar, the first witness in a lawsuit brought by a coalition of US states, said Zuckerberg was closely involved in decision-making and that Meta’s top-down culture meant product design changes would occur only if he ordered them.

The states accuse Meta of designing its platforms to addict young users, fueling anxiety and depression, and of improperly collecting and using personal data from children under 13.

Bejar testified that Meta used metrics including meaningful social interactions and daily active users to reward employees, prioritizing user engagement and profit over safety. He also said a tool encouraging users to take breaks was “designed to fail” because it was not enabled by default and its reminders were easy to ignore.

Bejar further accused Meta of turning a blind eye to users suspected of being under 13 through a “don't ask, don't tell” policy because doing so was financially profitable over the longer term.

Meta denies the allegations and has argued that Bejar’s opinions were beyond the scope of his work.

The trial is expected to last six weeks, with Zuckerberg also expected to testify. Experts have described it as the biggest legal test yet of social media’s effects on young users. Meta faces thousands of similar lawsuits, including a case brought by New Mexico that resulted in $942m in damages and penalties and an order requiring the company to change its platforms in the state.

(Reuters, max)