Former Meta engineer says Instagram took a 'don't ask, don't tell' approach on kids under 13
- A former engineering director at Meta testified that the company prioritized profits over safety in designing its products.
- Arturo Béjar stated that Meta adopted a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy regarding users under 13.
- The trial involves Meta and several states accusing the company of contributing to the youth mental health crisis.
- Meta is facing lawsuits for allegedly collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent.
OAKLAND, California (AP) — A former engineering director at Meta testified in a trial that the company took a 'don’t ask, don’t tell' approach regarding children under 13 on its platforms. Arturo Béjar highlighted that Meta consistently prioritized profits over safety, focusing on user engagement metrics that could be detrimental to mental well-being.
The trial, which began in federal court in Oakland, California, involves Meta facing accusations from the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey. These states argue that Meta has contributed to a youth mental health crisis by designing features that addict children to its platforms.
Meta has stated that users must be at least 13 years old to create an account, in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The lawsuit claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without parental consent, violating federal law. The trial is expected to last about six weeks.
前Meta工程师称Instagram对13岁以下儿童采取‘不问不说’的态度
加利福尼亚州奥克兰（美联社）——前Meta工程主任在审判中作证称，该公司对其平台上13岁以下儿童采取了‘不问不说’的态度。阿图罗·贝哈尔强调，Meta始终将利润置于安全之上，专注于可能对心理健康产生不利影响的用户参与指标。
此次审判在加利福尼亚州奥克兰的联邦法院进行，Meta面临来自加利福尼亚州、科罗拉多州、肯塔基州和新泽西州的指控。这些州指控Meta通过设计让儿童上瘾的功能，助长了青少年心理健康危机。
Meta表示，用户必须年满13岁才能创建账户，以遵守《儿童在线隐私保护法》（COPPA）。诉讼称，Meta在未获得父母同意的情况下，常规收集13岁以下儿童的数据，违反了联邦法律。此次审判预计将持续约六周。