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Mark Zuckerberg encouraged growth over child safety, ex-Meta executive testifies at trial
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Former Meta engineering director Arturo Béjar testified that CEO Mark Zuckerberg prioritized growth and engagement over child safety on Facebook and Instagram, fostering a culture where safety was secondary.
- Béjar, a critic of Meta’s safety record, alleged the company knowingly designed platforms to hook young users, contributing to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and suicide.
- The ongoing trial, involving multiple states, accuses Meta of violating federal law by improperly collecting data from children under 13 and misleading consumers about platform safety.
- Béjar highlighted that Meta’s safety features, such as user break reminders, were intentionally ineffective, and that the company ignored underage users to maximize profits.
- Jurors also heard testimony from a Meta researcher who acknowledged the company could reduce Facebook’s addictive qualities but has not done so.
