Key witness in Meta trial says terms of settlement insufficient to halt apps’ harms to teenagers
Summary
A key witness in the U.S. government’s trial against Meta said a recent settlement is not enough to stop harm to teenagers caused by Meta’s apps like Instagram and Facebook. The settlement limits teen screen time and adds safety features, but the witness believes it doesn’t fix the main problems with addictive content or how algorithms influence young users.Key Facts
- Dozens of states sued Meta, accusing it of creating addictive apps that harm teens’ mental health.
- Meta and the states reached a settlement requiring limits on how long teens can use the apps daily.
- The settlement also includes default teen safety settings, parental controls, "night mode," and disabling some features like beauty filters by default.
- Whistleblower Arturo Béjar, a former Facebook employee, testified that Meta ignored warnings about harmful content and that the settlement doesn’t make the apps safe.
- Béjar compared the limits to allowing smoking for two hours a day without reducing harm.
- Meta did not admit wrongdoing and said its platforms already have many protections for teens.
- The settlement lacks independent oversight and does not change how algorithms push harmful or addictive content to young users.
- Meta faces multiple lawsuits claiming it knowingly designed products to hook young users and harm them.
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