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 children under 13 on its platforms.
- Bejar said Meta repeatedly prioritized engagement and profits over safety, designing products to keep users on the platforms longer even when that could harm mental well-being.
- The trial pits Meta against California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey and is expected to last about six weeks.
- The states allege Meta knowingly designed addictive features that contributed to youth mental health problems and collected data on children under 13 without parental consent, while Meta says its products comply with age rules and safety requirements.
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 the company focused on engagement and time spent on its products even when that worked against users' mental well-being.
The testimony came in a federal trial that began Tuesday in Oakland, California, where Meta is facing California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. The case is expected to last about six weeks and is part of a larger wave of state lawsuits over social media and child safety.
The states say Meta intentionally designed addictive features and concealed the harms, while also collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent. Meta denies the claims and says users must be at least 13 to create an account. The dispute adds regulatory and litigation risk for Meta, which is potentially negative for the stock.
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
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。曾就儿童安全问题向国会作证的 Arturo Béjar 说，公司在产品设计上更看重用户停留时间和互动程度，即使这可能损害用户的心理健康。
这项证词出现在加州奥克兰联邦法院开启的审判中。Meta 此次面对的是加利福尼亚、科罗拉多、肯塔基和新泽西四个州，预计审理将持续约六周，也是围绕社交媒体与儿童安全的一系列州级诉讼中的一部分。
这些州指控 Meta 明知故意设计具有成瘾性的功能并掩盖其危害，同时在未经家长同意的情况下收集 13 岁以下儿童的数据。Meta 否认相关指控，并表示用户必须年满 13 岁才能注册账号。对市场而言，这类诉讼会增加 Meta 的监管与法律风险，对其股价偏利空。