Meta settlement lacks teen mental health protections, whistleblower claims

A whistleblower who testified against Meta Platforms argues that the company's recent $18 billion settlement with U.S. states does not sufficiently address the harms social media inflicts on teenagers. Arturo Bejar, a former Meta safety engineer, told a court that the company knowingly understated the frequency of teen harm on its platforms, promoted content that negatively impacted their self-esteem, and failed to properly handle reports of child predation.

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This agreement could simply codify much of the 'safety theater' that Meta has been doing in recent years. Instagram will be used a little less, but it will not be any safer.

While California Attorney General Rob Bonta declared the settlement would "make social media less dangerous for our kids," Bejar expressed skepticism. He believes the agreement may simply formalize the superficial safety measures Meta has implemented in recent years. "Instagram will be used a little less, but it will not be any safer," Bejar stated.

Meta, in response, asserted that it is "building on our longstanding efforts to empower parents and support teens." Bonta acknowledged that more work is needed from legislatures and the industry but maintained that the settlement introduces "real and enforceable change, real transparency, and real protections for children and teens across the country."

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We're grateful for Mr. Bejar's advocacy and for his testimony in our case. We agree that there is more to be done by legislatures and industry, but believe that the settlement we announced yesterday institutes real and enforceable change, real transparency, and real protections for children and teens across the country.

The settlement includes measures like hiding likes and reaction counts to reduce negative social comparison among young users. However, internal Meta documents revealed the company had previously considered and rejected such measures, deeming them inconsequential to both user well-being and business interests. Tests on hiding like counts, known as "Project Daisy," found only a modest impact on user experience and a negligible potential decrease in daily users.

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We didn't observe movements in overall well-being measures.