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Former Meta engineering director Arturo Bejar told a US federal court that Instagram took a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach toward under-13 users, prioritising engagement and growth over safety. He said tens of thousands of children used Instagram and criticised Meta’s child-safety measures, including its Take a Break feature. Meta has rejected the allegations.

New Delhi: A former Meta engineering director testified in a US federal court that Instagram took a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach to children under 13, prioritising user engagement and growth over safety, accusing the company of harming young users, according to multiple reports.

Arturo Bejar -- who has previously testified before Congress on child safety -- said during his second day on the stand that Meta measured employee performance and compensation largely by engagement metrics such as user numbers and time spent on the platform.

“In that context, safety was an afterthought,” he said according to the reports.

Bejar also testified that his research found “tens of thousands” of children under 13 using Instagram and that it was “common knowledge” within the company that such young users were using the application.