Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg Ignores Expert Concerns, Keeps Controversial Plastic Surgery Filters

Recent developments from a Massachusetts lawsuit have surfaced, placing Meta Platforms Inc. META CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, in a dubious light. Based on unredacted documents, Zuckerberg has made the executive decision to maintain plastic surgery filters within the company's social media platforms, despite having expert advice to the contrary. The incriminating evidence suggests a blatant disregard for the youth's mental health that could be adversely affected by these filters.

Allegations from the Massachusetts Lawsuit

The Attorney General of Massachusetts, Andrea Joy Campbell, spearheading the lawsuit, reveals Meta's contradictory stance. Publicly, Meta has proclaimed adolescent well-being as their utmost concern. However, the legal documents illustrate a contrasting reality, where commercial interests seemingly outweigh expert recommendations pertaining to youth safety.

The suit discloses Zuckerberg's 2020 decision to override a unanimous support within the company to remove plastic surgery filters. These enhancements, which allow users to mimic cosmetic surgery procedures, have apparent harmful impacts on youth, especially females. Zuckerberg negated their removal based on 'clear demand' and a lack of data supporting their harm – a claim that is being disputed in the lawsuit.

The Impact of Cosmetic Surgery Filters

Meta's platforms, notably Instagram, have been platforms where users can apply filters that simulate procedures like botox or modify their complexion, among other cosmetic changes. The legal documents articulate the peril these manipulations pose to young users, potentially causing mental health issues by presenting altered, unattainable standards of beauty.

In 2019, emails from Meta’s VP of product design, Margaret Gould Stewart, to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri and other Meta executives campaigned for a policy shift to ban effects that mimic cosmetic enhancements. Initially, this proposition was met with widespread agreement amongst the leadership until Zuckerberg's intervention in April 2020.

Zuckerberg's Stance and Meta's Position

Zuckerberg's stance indicates a prioritization of user engagement over user well-being. The document leaked revealed that Zuckerberg had seen no data to suggest harm caused by these filters, a statement now subject to legal scrutiny.

Meta, as a global entity based in Menlo Park, California, connects millions via an array of devices and platforms. Such wide-reaching influence brings about a responsibility to safeguard its users, particularly the vulnerable youth demographic. Shutterstock, Inc. SSTK, another technology company that provides digital content and tools, though not directly related to this lawsuit, operates within the same online content sphere and carries a similar responsibility.

As this lawsuit unfolds, it raises broader concerns about the tech industry's ethical obligations toward its consumers and the potential consequences of prioritizing business growth over the well-being of its users.

Meta, Zuckerberg, Lawsuit