Former Meta Engineer Testifies Of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

August 20, 2026 5:06 am

OAKLAND, California (AP) — A former engineering director at Meta who has testified before Congress about child safety on Instagram told jurors at a landmark trial that the company took a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach on kids under 13 on its platforms. During his second day of testimony Wednesday, Arturo Béjar said Meta consistently prioritized profits over safety in designing its products. The trial that began Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, pits Meta against the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey and is expected to last about six weeks. The company has rejected the claims and said evidence at the trial will show its commitment to safety.