Two former Meta researchers have accused the tech giant of hiding evidence about the dangers its virtual reality platforms pose to children.
Jason Sattizahn and Cayce Savage told a US Senate committee that Meta ordered staff to delete findings showing sexual abuse risks. They also claimed lawyers interfered with internal studies that could have warned about harm to young users.
“Meta has chosen to ignore the problems they created and bury evidence of users’ negative experiences,” Mr Sattizahn told senators.
The hearing followed a Washington Post report alleging Meta blocked research into VR safety. The company strongly denied the claims, calling them “nonsense” and insisting it has approved nearly 180 safety studies in recent years.
Ms Savage told lawmakers she had discovered paedophile groups using Roblox on Meta headsets to exploit children. She said she warned Meta to ban the app, but it remains in the VR store. Roblox rejected her testimony as “ill-informed and outdated.”
Meta pointed to parental supervision tools available on its VR headsets. But Florida Senator Ashley Moody said she could not work out how to use the parental controls without her child’s help.
The whistleblowers’ claims add to earlier warnings from Frances Haugen in 2021, who leaked documents showing Instagram harmed teenagers’ mental health.
Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly denied such allegations but faced intense questioning in Congress. Last year, he apologised to families who said their children suffered after using Meta products.
The Senate hearing signals growing pressure on Meta over child safety.
