Meta safety tools ‘designed to fail’, former employee tells landmark US trial

A former employee testified on Wednesday that some of Meta’s safety tools for Facebook and Instagram were “designed to fail,” contradicting the company’s defense strategy in a landmark trial in California.

For a second day, Meta is fending off accusations by a coalition of US states that it deliberately designed its products to hook children and gather their data while misleading the public.

A loss for the social media giant could see it slapped with a $200 billion penalty, force fundamental changes to its business model and send shockwaves through the industry.