Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has come under renewed scrutiny after former and current employees testified to the U.S. Senate, alleging that the company buried internal research related to child safety on its virtual reality (VR) platforms.
Allegations of Suppression
According to six researchers, Meta’s legal team routinely screened, edited, and even vetoed safety research following heightened congressional oversight in 2021. These measures allegedly aimed to create “plausible deniability” about the negative effects of Meta’s VR products on children.
Former Meta researcher Cayce Savage told senators that Meta knew children under 13 were bypassing age restrictions to access its VR services. She claimed, “Meta purposely turns a blind eye to this knowledge, despite it being obvious to anyone using their products.”
Warnings Ignored
Internal documents, cited by the Washington Post, revealed that employees had raised alarms as early as 2017. In some virtual rooms, staff estimated that 80 to 90 percent of users were underage, warning that the situation could result in damaging headlines.
The company reportedly advised researchers to avoid sensitive language in their studies, steering clear of terms such as “illegal” or suggesting any breach of law.
Meta’s Response
Meta has strongly denied the allegations. Company spokeswoman Dani Lever called the claims a “predetermined and false narrative” based on selective examples. She emphasized that Meta continues to invest in tools and safeguards designed to protect young users.
“We stand by our research team’s excellent work,” Lever said, dismissing the claims as mischaracterizations.
Calls for Congressional Action
At the hearing, researcher Jason Sattizahn stated that it was “very clear that Meta is incapable of change without being forced by Congress.” He accused the company of prioritizing engagement and profits over child welfare, despite repeated opportunities to reform.
A Broader Industry Concern
The testimony echoes wider concerns about the role of social media and VR platforms in safeguarding children. With Meta leading the VR market through its Quest lineup, critics argue that the company holds a responsibility to set higher standards for protecting minors online.
