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, testified in federal court in Oakland, California, that Instagram took a "don't ask, don't tell" approach toward users under 13.
- Bejar said Meta repeatedly put profits ahead of safety by designing products to maximize how often and how long people used them, even when that could hurt mental well-being.
- The trial pits Meta against California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey and is expected to last about six weeks.
- The states say Meta knowingly designed addictive features for young users, hid the harms, and collected data on children under 13 without parental consent.
- Meta says its platforms require users to be at least 13, in line with federal child privacy law, and denies the allegations.
In a federal trial in Oakland, former Meta engineering director Arturo Bejar told jurors that Instagram handled users under 13 with a "don't ask, don't tell" mindset. He said Meta's product decisions were driven by engagement and profit, even when they could harm users' mental well-being.
The case was brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. The states allege that Meta knowingly built addictive features for young users, concealed the risks and collected data on children under 13 without parental consent.
Meta rejects the allegations and says its services require users to be at least 13, consistent with federal child privacy rules. The company says the evidence will show it is committed to safety.
For markets, the case is a potential negative for Meta shares because it adds legal and reputational risk, while the broader stock market impact appears limited and neutral.
前 Meta 工程师称 Instagram 对 13 岁以下用户采取“睁一只眼闭一只眼”的做法
在奥克兰的联邦审判中，前 Meta 工程总监 Arturo Béjar 告诉陪审员，Instagram 对 13 岁以下用户采取了“睁一只眼闭一只眼”的态度。他说，Meta 的产品决策以使用时长和参与度为导向，即便这可能损害用户的心理健康。
这起案件由加州、科罗拉多、肯塔基和新泽西提起。上述州指控 Meta 明知故意为年轻用户设计上瘾功能，掩盖相关风险，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，并表示其服务要求用户年满 13 岁，这与联邦儿童隐私规则一致。公司称，庭审证据将显示其一直重视安全。
就市场影响而言，这起案件对 Meta 股价可能构成偏空压力，因为它增加了法律和声誉风险；但对更广泛的股票市场来说，影响预计有限，整体偏中性。