Zuckerberg lied about concern for child safety, Meta whistleblower testifies at landmark trial
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Testimony continued at the landmark federal trial against Meta, with whistleblower Arturo Béjar telling jurors he believes Mark Zuckerberg deliberately created a "false and misleading impression" of Facebook's commitment to young people. Béjar cited a 2021 email he sent the CEO warning of constant reports of harmful content, sent shortly after Zuckerberg publicly claimed the company did not prioritise profit over safety, and said Meta effectively operated a "don't ask, don't tell" approach to child safety despite being repeatedly warned by him.
The case, brought by attorneys general from 29 US states in Oakland, California, alleges Meta knowingly built addictive products that harmed young users and unlawfully collected data from children under 13. Béjar, who says he briefed Zuckerberg on safety issues around 100 times, told the court Meta's platforms recommended content from sexual predators and violent imagery. Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri are among further witnesses expected over the trial's six-week run; Meta denies the allegations, with its lawyer arguing it has "tools" to address social media struggles and has disabled over a million underage accounts.
- Whistleblower says Zuckerberg misled public on child safety commitment
- 29 US states allege Meta built addictive, harmful products for children
- Trial in Oakland expected to last at least six weeks
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Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, is at the centre of a major US legal case over how it handled child safety on its platforms. Attorneys general from 29 states are suing the company, arguing it knowingly designed features that hooked young users and broke rules on collecting data from children under 13. The trial, taking place in Oakland, California, is expected to run for six weeks.
A key figure giving evidence is Arturo Béjar, a former Meta engineer who worked on safety issues and says he raised concerns with chief executive Mark Zuckerberg directly, including around 100 briefings over time. His testimony centres on whether Meta's leadership knew about harms to young users, such as exposure to harmful or predatory content, while publicly presenting a different picture of the company's priorities.
Meta disputes the claims, saying it has taken steps such as building safety tools and removing large numbers of underage accounts. Zuckerberg and Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, are both expected to appear as witnesses as the trial continues, making this one of the most closely watched legal challenges yet to how social media companies treat younger users.
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