Elon Musk has responded with a single word – “Concerning” – to court filings alleging Meta knew millions of adult strangers were contacting minors on its platforms while failing to address serious safety issues.
Key Allegations Against Meta
- Meta allegedly knew millions of adults contacted minors on its platforms
- Sex trafficking content was difficult to report and often unaddressed
- Content involving eating disorders, suicide, and child sexual abuse was rarely removed
- Internal safety measures were reportedly rejected to maintain user growth
Elon Musk’s Reaction
Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to Time’s report about the court filings with just one word: “Concerning.” The world’s richest man was reacting to allegations that Meta was aware of widespread adult-minor contact on its platforms.
Court Filing Details
The unsealed court documents claim Meta platforms had significant safety failures affecting young users. According to the filing, sex trafficking content was difficult to report and often left unaddressed by the company.
Former Executive’s Testimony
Instagram’s former head of safety, Vaishnavi Jayakumar, testified she was shocked by Meta’s “17x” strike policy for accounts involved in inappropriate behavior. She called it “a very, very high strike threshold.”
Meta’s Response
In a statement to Time, a Meta spokesperson said: “We want teens to have safe, age-appropriate experiences online, and we have over 30 tools to support them and their parents.”
Broader Legal Context
The allegations are part of a larger multidistrict lawsuit involving over 1,800 plaintiffs, including families, school districts, and state attorneys general. The suit claims social media companies “relentlessly pursued a strategy of growth at all costs” while overlooking risks to children’s health.
The filings suggest Meta pursued young users since 2017 despite internal evidence that its platforms could be harmful or potentially addictive for children. Employees reportedly proposed various safety measures, but executives often rejected them due to concerns about reducing teen engagement.
