Former Meta engineer says Instagram took a 'don't ask, don't tell' approach on kids under 13
- A former Meta engineering director, Arturo Bejar, told jurors in Oakland that Instagram took a "don't ask, don't tell" approach toward users under 13.
- Bejar said Meta often prioritized engagement and profit over safety, focusing on how often and how long people used its products.
- The testimony came in a federal trial in Oakland involving Meta and the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey.
- The states allege Meta designed addictive features that harmed young users' mental health and collected data from children under 13 without parental consent.
- Meta says users must be at least 13 to create an account and denies the allegations.
Former Meta engineering director Arturo Bejar testified in federal court in Oakland that Instagram treated users under 13 with a "don't ask, don't tell" approach. He said the company knew children were on the platform even though its rules required users to be at least 13.
Bejar also told jurors that Meta repeatedly put engagement and profit ahead of safety, measuring success by how often and how long people used its products even when that could hurt mental well-being.
The trial involves Meta and four states - California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey - and is expected to last about six weeks. The states say Meta knowingly designed addictive features and collected data on children under 13 without parental consent, while Meta denies the claims and says its policies require users to be 13 or older.
For markets, the case is potentially negative for Meta shares because it adds legal and reputational risk, while the broader impact on stocks, crypto, gold and foreign exchange is likely limited.
前Meta工程师称Instagram对13岁以下用户采取“睁一只眼闭一只眼”态度
前Meta工程主管Arturo Bejar在奥克兰联邦法院作证称，Instagram对13岁以下用户采取了“睁一只眼闭一只眼”的做法。他说，公司明知有未满13岁的儿童使用平台，但其规则要求用户至少13岁。
Bejar还对陪审团表示，Meta多次把用户参与度和利润置于安全之上，并以用户使用产品的频率和时长来衡量成功，即使这可能损害心理健康。
这场审判涉及Meta以及加利福尼亚、科罗拉多、肯塔基和新泽西四个州，预计持续约六周。四州指控Meta明知故意设计令人上瘾的功能，并在未经家长同意的情况下收集13岁以下儿童的数据；Meta否认这些指控，并称其政策要求用户年满13岁才能注册。
从市场角度看，这起案件对Meta股价潜在偏利空，因为它增加了法律和声誉风险；对更广泛的股票、加密货币、黄金和外汇市场影响预计有限。