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Meta prioritized profits over child safety on Instagram, ex-engineer testifies

By PulseAugur Editorial · [1 sources] ·

A former Meta engineering director testified that the company prioritized profits over child safety on platforms like Instagram, adopting a "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding underage users. Arturo Béjar stated that product design focused on user engagement duration and frequency, with safety concerns treated as an afterthought. This testimony comes amid a landmark trial where Meta faces lawsuits from multiple states accusing the company of knowingly designing addictive features for children and violating privacy laws like COPPA. AI

IMPACT This trial highlights the ethical challenges and regulatory scrutiny surrounding social media platforms' impact on youth mental health and data privacy.

RANK_REASON Landmark trial against a major tech company regarding child safety and privacy practices. [lever_c_demoted from significant: ic=1 ai=0.4]

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AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 1 sources. How we write summaries →

Meta prioritized profits over child safety on Instagram, ex-engineer testifies

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Landmark trial against a major tech company regarding child safety and privacy practices. [lever_c_demoted from significant: ic=1 ai=0.4]
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policy, product, safety
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COVERAGE [1]

  1. Fortune TIER_1 English(EN) · Barbara Ortutay, The Associated Press ·

    Instagram took ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ approach to kids, former engineer testifies — and pay was tied to keeping them online

    “If you step away from the product, they are not going to make any money,” Arturo Béjar testified. It had the tools to know better, too.

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