Meta accused of covering up child safety risks in VR products by whistleblowers

Two former Meta safety researchers testified before a US Senate committee, claiming that the tech giant covered up potential harms to children arising from its virtual reality (VR) products. Jason Sattizahn and Cayce Savage, who previously worked on Meta’s VR youth user experience research, allege that Meta attempted to erase evidence of sexual abuse risks and suppressed research highlighting dangers to children. The whistleblowers assert that Meta lawyers intervened in internal research, shaping it to downplay these risks. Despite the allegations, Meta denies any wrongdoing, calling the claims ‘nonsense’ and claiming the research was manipulated. One whistleblower, Ms Savage, also testified that she flagged risks related to the Roblox platform being used for exploitation, but Meta has continued to host the game in its VR store. Additionally, Meta’s parental control tools have faced criticism, with one senator revealing difficulties navigating these features. This testimony follows previous whistleblowing efforts, including those by Frances Haugen, who exposed harmful impacts of Instagram on teen mental health in 2021.