A newly unredacted legal complaint filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and joined by 41 other state attorneys general accuses Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg of disregarding concerns raised by top executives regarding user safety, especially for children and teenagers.
The complaint alleges that Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, and Instagram’s Head, Adam Mosseri, urged Zuckerberg and other executives to allocate more resources and staff to address issues like bullying, harassment, and suicide prevention in 2021. However, the complaint claims that Zuckerberg ignored these appeals for months.
In one instance, Clegg’s call for additional investment in user well-being was reportedly dismissed by Zuckerberg. Meta’s Chief Financial Officer, Susan Li, cited staffing constraints as the reason for rejecting the proposal.
These revelations come as concerns grow about the impact of social media on mental health, especially among young users. The unredacted documents suggest that Meta’s leadership may prioritize profits over user safety, reinforcing arguments by advocates and lawmakers.
The lawsuit also points to Zuckerberg’s alleged refusal to ban certain beauty filters that experts believed could negatively affect the mental health of vulnerable users.
As the legal battle unfolds, it underscores the challenges tech companies face in balancing business interests with user safety, particularly for children and teenagers.
