A former engineering director at Meta testifies that Instagram followed a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach for users under 13. The testimony is delivered in a landmark trial, where the engineer describes how the company handled child-safety issues on its platforms.
According to multiple outlets, the engineer’s account links Instagram’s treatment of younger users to choices about what information is collected and how safety concerns are handled. One report characterizes the approach as effectively deprioritizing proactive engagement on safety matters for children under 13, while another emphasizes that safety was treated as an afterthought compared with goals tied to engagement and profit. Other coverage focuses more directly on the phrase “don’t ask, don’t tell” without adding further commentary about internal motivations.
Overall, the outlets agree on the core claim: the engineer says Instagram did not consistently seek out or address safety issues for under-13 users, framing that conduct as a deliberate policy posture rather than an accident.
