Former Meta engineer raises alarm over teen safety as social media addiction trial continues: Report
Follow UsFormer Meta engineer raised concerns over teen safety.
States accuse Meta of harming young users.
The trial could affect social media safety rules.
Meta is currently undergoing a trial for social media addiction, and the outcome can change how Meta runs Instagram and Facebook. A group of US states accuses Meta of designing its services to keep children and teenagers engaged, misleading the public about safety, and collecting information from children under 13. However, Meta has previously rejected the claims and says it has worked to improve protections for young users. A big development took place on Wednesday as a former Facebook engineering director returned to the witness stand. The trial is expected to last about six weeks. During the hearing, Arturo Bejar, a former Meta employee and later consultant, told the court that the company knew young users were facing serious problems on its platforms.
SurveyFormer Meta engineer raises safety concerns
Bejar worked at Meta from 2009 to 2015 and returned as an independent contractor from 2019 to 2021. During that period, he helped study teenagers’ experiences on Instagram.
He told jurors that he raised concerns with Meta leaders about the platform’s effect on young users. Bejar said the company’s checks focused mainly on content that broke its rules instead of measuring how much harm users reported.
He also read an email sent to Meta chief product officer Chris Cox, in which he highlighted a gap between reported harm and the figures Meta shared publicly. Bejar told the court that young people were experiencing harm at very high rates.
Also read: Want to update your kids Aadhaar biometrics for free? Here is how you can do it before September 30
What is Meta accused of?
California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are among the states accusing Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to attract and keep young users. They say the company failed to properly address risks linked to mental health and safety.
A group of 29 states has also accused Meta of illegally collecting and using personal information from children under 13. The case is being closely watched because its outcome could influence how social media companies design products for children and teenagers.
Also read: Want to buy Apple iPhone 17 Pro? Save over Rs 11,000 on your purchase, here is how
Meta challenges witness testimony
Meta argued that Bejar’s views were not only based on his work at the company. Meta also tried to stop him from testifying because some Signal messages with former Meta employees had been deleted.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected Meta’s request and allowed Bejar to testify. Bejar had already spoken to a US Senate committee in 2023 about how Meta was dealing with risks to teenagers. He has also given evidence in other cases about possible harm to children.
In a New Mexico case, Meta was ordered to pay $942 million in damages and penalties. It was also told to make changes to its platforms in the state. The trial in Oakland will continue for several weeks. The court will look at how Meta keeps users safe and how its platforms are designed.
