Former Meta engineer says Instagram took a 'don't ask, don't tell' approach on kids under 13
- Former Meta engineering director Arturo Bejar testified in federal court in Oakland that Instagram took a "don't ask, don't tell" approach to users under 13.
- Bejar said Meta consistently prioritized profits over safety by optimizing for how often and how long people used its products, even when it could harm mental well-being.
- California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are suing Meta, alleging the company helped drive youth mental health problems by designing addictive features and hiding the harms.
- The states also say Meta collected data on children under 13 without parental consent, which they argue violated federal law.
- Meta says users must be at least 13 to create an account and says the trial will show the company is committed to safety.
- The federal trial in Oakland began Tuesday and is expected to last about six weeks.
A former Meta engineering director told jurors in Oakland that Instagram handled children under 13 with a "don't ask, don't tell" approach. Arturo Bejar, who has testified before Congress on child safety issues, said Meta's product decisions consistently put engagement and profit ahead of user safety.
Bejar said the company focused on how often and how long people used its services, even when that could be harmful to mental well-being. The testimony came in a federal trial brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, which accuse Meta of knowingly designing addictive features for young users and concealing the risks.
The states also allege Meta collected data on children under 13 without parental consent, in violation of federal law. Meta says users must be at least 13 to open an account and disputes the claims, saying the evidence will show the company is committed to safety. The case could keep pressure on Meta stock by increasing regulatory and legal risk, which is a potential negative for shares.
前 Meta 工程主管称 Instagram 对 13 岁以下儿童采取“睁一只眼闭一只眼”做法
一名前 Meta 工程主管在奥克兰向陪审团表示，Instagram 对 13 岁以下儿童采取了“睁一只眼闭一只眼”的处理方式。曾就儿童安全问题在国会作证的 Arturo Bejar 说，Meta 的产品决策一贯把使用时长和参与度放在安全之前。
Bejar 说，公司关注的是用户使用产品的频率和时长，即便这可能损害心理健康。此次证词出现在一场联邦审判中。加利福尼亚州、科罗拉多州、肯塔基州和新泽西州指控 Meta 明知故犯地为年轻用户设计成瘾性功能，并掩盖相关风险。
这些州还指控 Meta 在未获父母同意的情况下收集 13 岁以下儿童的数据，违反联邦法律。Meta 表示，用户必须年满 13 岁才能注册账户，并否认指控，称庭审将显示公司重视安全。对市场而言，这类诉讼通常会增加监管和法律不确定性，对 Meta 股价可能偏利空。