Béjar points to user perception surveys that show, for instance, that 13% of Instagram users — ages 13-15 — reported having received unwanted sexual advances on the platform within the previous seven days.
Béjar said he doesn’t believe the reforms he’s suggesting would significantly affect revenue or profits for Meta and its peers.
Meta, in a statement, said “Every day countless people inside and outside of Meta are working on how to help keep young people safe online.
Today's testimony comes just two weeks after dozens of U.S. states sued Meta for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis.
The lawsuits, filed in state and federal courts, claim that Meta knowingly and deliberately designs features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.
Persons:
Frances Haugen, Arturo Béjar, Mark Zuckerberg, ‘, ”, “, ” Béjar, Zuckerberg, Instagram, Béjar, Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Missouri Sen, Josh Hawley, —, doesn’t, ’, Meta
Organizations:
Facebook, Wall Street, Meta, Associated Press, Connecticut Democrat, AP, “
Locations:
Connecticut, Missouri