A former Facebook safety executive has criticised Meta’s multibillion-dollar settlement with 29 US states, arguing the agreement fails to adequately address allegations that Facebook and Instagram harmed young users.
The deal, reached during a federal trial, provides for payments of up to $17 billion and introduces measures including default two-hour daily limits for minors, overnight restrictions, muted school-hour notifications and options for non-personalised feeds.
Former Facebook employee and key witness Arturo Bejar said the safeguards would not have prevented deaths among families he had spoken with and criticised Meta’s ability to determine how harm is defined.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office described the measures as important protections while acknowledging further action was necessary, while Meta spokesman Andy Stone said the agreement followed years of negotiations with state attorneys general.
Meta continues to deny wrongdoing and rejects claims that its platforms were intentionally designed to be addictive. The settlement meant no jury reached a verdict on the allegations and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who had been expected to testify, did not take the stand, while the company still faces thousands of separate lawsuits concerning alleged harm to younger users.
Image credit: Maria Berevosky
17 billion means nothing to these people. Lock them up for twenty years and they may get the message. Maybe if crime of all kinds were getting proper sentencing the next bozo would think twice before committing said crime.
Brave Browser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmBmAMGFj3U&t=74s