Meta Accused of Prioritising VR Profit Over Child Safety by Whistleblowers
- tech360.tv
- Sep 10
- 2 min read
Former researchers told a US Senate panel on Tuesday that Meta Platforms prioritised profit from its virtual-reality (VR) platform over children's safety. The claims emerged during a hearing before the Senate subcommittee on privacy and technology.
Cayce Savage, a former Meta user experience researcher, stated that the company stopped internal research. This research reportedly showed that Meta knew children were using its VR products and were exposed to sexually explicit material. Savage said, "Meta cannot be trusted to tell the truth about the safety or use of its products."
Savage also alleged that researchers were instructed not to investigate harms to children using VR technology, allowing the company to claim ignorance. In her work, she encountered instances of children being bullied, sexually assaulted, and asked for nude photographs.
Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, questioned former Meta Reality Labs researcher Jason Sattizahn about a Reuters report on internal policy. The report stated that Meta's chatbots were permitted to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Sattizahn responded, "No, not at all," when asked if this surprised him.
Meta had previously stated that the examples reported by Reuters were inconsistent with company policies and had been removed. Savage and Sattizahn are part of a group of current and former Meta employees whose whistleblower claims were initially reported by the Washington Post on Monday.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone issued a statement saying the claims are "based on selectively leaked internal documents that were picked specifically to craft a false narrative." He added that there "was never any blanket prohibition on conducting research with young people."
Senator Blackburn further remarked at the hearing that the whistleblower accounts underscore the need for Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act. This bill, which she co-sponsored, passed the Senate last year but failed in the US House of Representatives.
Two former Meta researchers testified to a US Senate panel that Meta prioritised profit over child safety on its VR platform.
Former researcher Cayce Savage alleged Meta suppressed internal research showing children's exposure to sexually explicit material and instructed researchers to avoid investigating harms.
Another former researcher, Jason Sattizahn, was not surprised by reports of Meta's chatbots engaging children in romantic or sensual conversations.
Source: REUTERS
