Designed to keep kids HOOKED? – Ex-Meta engineer says company knew young users faced harm as $1.4 TRILLION trial enters day two

Meta Returns To Court

Meta was back in court in Oakland on Wednesday for day two of a landmark child safety trial, with four US states accusing the social media giant of designing Facebook and Instagram to keep young users hooked while putting their safety and mental health at risk.

Footage shows former Meta engineer and whistleblower Arturo Bejar leaving the Ronald V Dellums Federal Building without answering reporters’ questions. Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt and Jason Slothouber, a senior prosecutor with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, were also seen leaving as media crews gathered outside.

Bejar testified on Wednesday that Meta knew young users were facing harmful experiences on its platforms but failed to make safety a priority, despite concerns he said he repeatedly raised with senior executives.

States Accuse Meta

The case opened on Tuesday, led by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. The states accuse Meta of breaking consumer-protection and children’s privacy laws, arguing that features including infinite scrolling and recommendation systems were engineered to fuel compulsive use among children.

They also allege Meta collected data from children under 13 without proper parental consent.

The states are seeking penalties that could reach as high as $1.4 trillion, depending on how the alleged violations are calculated, along with changes to the way Facebook and Instagram operate.

Meta Denies Allegations

Meta denies the allegations and disputes claims that its platforms directly cause poor adolescent mental health. The company says it has rolled out safeguards for younger users, including Instagram Teen Accounts.

The trial is expected to run for six to eight weeks, with the outcome potentially forcing major changes to how Meta designs Facebook and Instagram for children and teenagers.

Article by Viory

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