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Meta whistleblower says executives knew of harm to children on Facebook
Arturo Béjar testified he briefed CEO Mark Zuckerberg on product issues at least 100 times, including warnings about recurring harmful content on Facebook in an email sent in 2021.
Arturo Béjar, a former Meta safety engineer and Instagram consultant, testified during a federal trial in Oakland, California, that the company was aware of the potential harm its social media products could cause children.
According to his testimony reported by the Guardian Business, Béjar said Meta repeatedly pushed recommendations that exposed users to content from sexual predators and to violent and graphic images, and that he raised the concerns to Facebook and Instagram executives but they did little to resolve the issue.
Béjar also told the jury that his duties included briefing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on product issues, estimating he spoke with the CEO at least 100 times, and he referenced a 2021 email in which he warned about constant reports of harmful content on Facebook.
The trial, brought by 29 US state attorneys general, centers on allegations that Meta illegally collected and used children's data in violation of federal law, designed its platforms to keep young users hooked, and misled consumers about children’s safety, with Béjar scheduled to continue his testimony on Wednesday.