Former Meta employee claims Zuckerberg buried child safety risks to fuel app growth

Meta Platforms is facing a major federal trial after former engineering director Arturo Bejar testified that the company’s leadership placed user growth and engagement ahead of child safety concerns on Facebook and Instagram.

Bejar, a former Facebook safety engineer and Instagram consultant, told the court that CEO Mark Zuckerberg played a central role in product decisions and that major safety changes depended on his direction.

The testimony came as 29 states accuse Meta of creating risks for young users and violating child privacy protections.

Former Meta engineer describes concerns over company safety culture

Arturo Bejar, who worked at Meta from 2009 to 2015 and later returned as an independent Instagram consultant from 2019 to 2021, became the first witness for the states in a closely watched trial involving the company’s treatment of younger users.

During his testimony, Bejar claimed Meta developed a culture in which protecting children was not treated with the same urgency as increasing engagement on Facebook and Instagram.

He said Zuckerberg strongly influenced company decisions and that major changes to products or policies typically required the CEO’s direct attention.

Bejar told the court that Zuckerberg could quickly move company priorities when he personally supported an issue. “If Mark makes something a priority, mountains move in months,” Bejar said.

The testimony is central to the states’ argument that Meta’s leadership was aware of safety concerns but failed to take sufficient action to address them.

States challenge Meta’s approach to child safety

The lawsuit against Meta focuses on allegations that the company improperly collected and used personal information from children under 13 and misled users about the safety of its platforms.

The states claim Facebook and Instagram were designed to maximize engagement among young users and that certain features contributed to issues including anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. They argue that Meta benefited from maintaining high levels of activity among younger audiences.

The company has denied the allegations and is defending its actions in court. The trial began in August 2026 and is expected to continue for several weeks. Zuckerberg is expected to appear as a witness during the proceedings.

The case represents one of the largest legal challenges faced by a major social media company regarding youth safety.

Former employee shares concerns about his daughter’s Instagram experience

During cross-examination by Meta attorney Brian Stekloff, Bejar discussed his own family’s experience with Instagram.

Bejar acknowledged that he did not fully understand the potential risks when he helped his daughter create an Instagram account in 2021. At the time, his daughter was 16 years old and wanted to use the platform to create a community for women interested in cars.

According to Bejar, his daughter gained followers and built an audience, but she also experienced harmful interactions. He testified that she received misogynistic comments, including remarks about her body.

Bejar said he monitored how those experiences affected her and described the situation as a trade-off between online success and exposure to harmful content.

“She got a good following, at the price of harm,” Bejar said.

The testimony highlighted one of the central issues in the case: whether social media companies can balance user growth with stronger protections for younger audiences.

Bejar disputes Zuckerberg’s response to whistleblower claims

Bejar also challenged Zuckerberg’s response to allegations made by former Meta employee Frances Haugen in 2021. Haugen had claimed that Meta knew its products could pose safety risks to children but failed to take sufficient action to address those concerns.

At the time, Zuckerberg said Meta regularly used research to improve its products and that the company worked to make its platforms safer.

Bejar rejected that explanation during his testimony, saying he believed the company’s public statements did not align with its internal actions. He criticized Meta’s handling of child safety issues and argued that stronger measures could have been implemented.

Bejar previously raised similar concerns before a U.S. Senate committee in 2023. During that appearance, he testified that Meta was aware of harassment and other harmful experiences affecting teenagers on its platforms but failed to make adequate changes.

His testimony has made him one of the most prominent former Meta employees criticizing the company’s approach to youth protection.

Bejar questions Meta’s safety tools and user engagement strategy

Earlier in his testimony, Bejar argued that Meta’s business priorities focused heavily on keeping users active on its platforms.

He criticized Meta’s tools that encourage users to take breaks, saying the company promoted those features as safety measures but designed them in a way that limited their effectiveness. According to Bejar, the tools were not activated by default, and reminders could easily be ignored.

Bejar also claimed Meta had technology capable of identifying users who may have been under 13 and requiring them to verify their ages. He alleged that the company avoided fully applying those measures because younger users were an important part of the platform’s future growth.

“The youngest kids are where the users are going to be in the future,” Bejar said.

The states are using these claims to argue that Meta made business decisions that prioritized long-term engagement over stronger child protection efforts.

Meta faces broader legal and regulatory pressure

The trial comes as social media companies face increasing scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators, and families over the effects of online platforms on children.

For Meta, the case could create additional pressure around how it designs products, handles youth accounts, and communicates safety policies. The company operates some of the world’s largest social platforms, making its approach to child protection a major focus for policymakers.

The legal outcome could influence future standards for online safety practices across the technology industry. Other platforms may also face increased attention as governments examine how social media services affect younger users.

Meta’s defense will focus on its existing safety measures and efforts to improve user protections. The company has argued that it continues to invest in tools and policies designed to make its platforms safer.

The trial could reshape Meta’s future safety strategy

The federal case represents a significant test of Meta’s approach to managing growth while responding to concerns about youth protection.

The allegations from the states focus on whether Meta’s engagement-driven strategy created risks that should have been addressed earlier. Bejar’s testimony directly challenges the company’s decision-making process and places attention on the role of executive leadership.

The outcome of the trial could determine whether Meta must make additional changes to its platforms and policies. It may also influence how technology companies approach child safety as they continue developing products built around user engagement.

For now, Meta remains focused on defending itself against the claims, while the states continue to present evidence they say shows the company failed to protect younger users adequately.

TL;DR

• Former Meta engineer Arturo Bejar testified that the company prioritized growth and engagement over child safety concerns.
• Bejar said Mark Zuckerberg had significant influence over major product and safety decisions.
• Twenty-nine states accuse Meta of harming young users and violating child privacy laws.
• The company denies wrongdoing and is defending itself in a federal trial expected to last six weeks.
• The case could influence future approaches to child safety across the social media industry.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.