Former Meta engineer says Instagram took a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ approach on kids under 13
Summary
A former Meta engineer, Arturo Béjar, testified in a federal trial that Meta ignored safety concerns for children under 13 on Instagram and focused on user time and profit instead. The trial, involving four U.S. states, accuses Meta of harming children's mental health and collecting data without parental consent, which Meta denies.Key Facts
- Arturo Béjar is a former Meta engineering director who worked on child safety at Instagram.
- Béjar said Meta had a "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy about users under 13.
- The trial is held in Oakland, California, with California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey suing Meta.
- The lawsuit claims Meta designed addictive features that harm children’s mental health.
- Meta is accused of collecting children’s data under 13 without permission from parents, violating federal law.
- Meta denies the accusations and says it is committed to user safety.
- The case is part of a larger legal effort, with 29 states suing Meta; 25 states’ cases will go to trial later.
- Béjar testified in Congress in 2023 about social media’s impact on teen mental health.
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