Former Meta Director Testifies That Child Safety Was an 'Afterthought' in Instagram
A former Meta engineering director, Arturo Béjar, testified during a federal trial against Meta Platforms (META), alleging that the company prioritized growth over child safety on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The landmark case claims these social media services have harmed children by failing to adequately protect underage users from harmful content or addictive design features. The testimony highlighted internal concerns about how algorithms promoted engagement at the expense of youth well-being, with Béjar stating that child safety was treated as an afterthought in product development decisions. The trial is expected to scrutinize Meta's corporate culture and its approach to platform moderation for minors. This case could set a precedent for future legal actions against tech companies regarding their responsibility toward protecting young users online.
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Topics: child safety Facebook federal trial Instagram Meta