Employees Allege Meta Hid Research On Child Safety Risks In VR

Four whistleblowers, employees of Meta, have accused the company, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, of deliberately suppressing research on child safety risks within its virtual reality (VR) and online platforms. The bombshell allegation has left the entire tech industry shocked, with people raising concerns about Meta's prioritisation of profit over child welfare.

The whistleblowers claimed that Meta's lawyers systematically suppressed internal research on child safety risks in its VR products. According to the allegations, Meta's legal team advised researchers to mitigate the risk by avoiding discussions about underage users and instead using terms like "alleged youth" or “alleged minors with young-sounding voices who may be underage”. The directive allegedly was to create "plausible deniability" against possible lawsuits and regulatory action.

A harrowing incident involving a woman in western Germany outlined the severity of the issue. During a visit from Meta researchers, the woman mentioned that she didn't allow her sons to interact with strangers on Meta's VR headsets. However, her teenage son revealed that he frequently encountered strangers, and adults had sexually propositioned his younger brother, who was under 10, multiple times.

Meta's Response and Regulatory Backlash

Meanwhile, Meta has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them a "mischaracterisation" of its efforts to conduct high-quality research while complying with global privacy laws. A company spokesperson asserted the company's resolve to user safety and adherence to regulations like GDPR and COPPA.

However, the allegations have led to regulatory scrutiny, with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigating Meta's handling of child safety on its platforms. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law has also scheduled a hearing to examine these claims.

The issue has drawn massive outrage, with parents and advocacy groups protesting outside Meta's offices. A recent vigil in New York City, attended by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, drew attention to the plight of children affected by social media. The event featured a memorial with 50 smartphones displaying images of children allegedly harmed by social media.