Meta hid harms to children from VR products, whistleblowers allege

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been accused by a group of six whistleblowers of covering up the harms that their virtual reality (VR) products and apps have caused to children. The whistleblowers allege that Meta deleted or doctored internal safety research that showed children being exposed to grooming, sexual harassment, and violence in their 3D virtual environments. The whistleblowers claim that Meta was aware of underage children using their products, but prioritized engagement and profit over child safety. They accuse the company of manipulating research and erasing data that did not align with their interests. A senator has attacked Meta's "disgusting web of lies" regarding the alleged cover-up. The revelations raise serious concerns about Meta's accountability and the need for stricter regulation of the VR industry to ensure the protection of vulnerable users, particularly children.