Meta Faces Allegations of Suppressing Child Safety Research
Washington, United States — Allegations have emerged that Meta systematically suppressed internal research highlighting significant child safety risks on its virtual reality platforms. Current and former employees testified before Congress on Tuesday regarding these claims.
Six researchers stated that after facing congressional scrutiny in 2021, Meta employed lawyers to screen, edit, and sometimes veto sensitive safety research. They alleged that the legal team aimed to create “plausible deniability” concerning the negative impacts of the company’s VR products on young users.
According to the whistleblowers, internal documents revealed that after former product manager Frances Haugen leaked damaging information about the company’s content policies, Meta imposed new rules on research related to sensitive topics, including children, gender, race, and harassment. Researchers were advised to avoid terms like “illegal” or to suggest that something “violates” specific laws.
Despite terms of service limiting access to users aged 13 and older, employees warned that children under 13 were bypassing age restrictions to use Meta’s VR services. One employee estimated that in some virtual rooms, 80 to 90 percent of users were underage, cautioning that this could lead to negative headlines.
Meta has denied the allegations, with spokeswoman Dani Lever calling them a “predetermined and false narrative” based on selective examples. She emphasized the company’s commitment to developing safety protections for young users.
Researcher Jason Sattizahn stated during the Senate hearing that Meta appears incapable of change without congressional pressure, criticizing the company for prioritizing engagement and profits over safety.
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