Former Meta Executive Testifies Against Company's Growth-At-All-Costs Culture

In a California courtroom this week, a former high-ranking Meta executive delivered testimony that directly challenged the company's public stance on user safety. Brian Boland, who helped build the advertising systems that fuel Meta's profits, told jurors the company's internal culture prioritized growth and engagement over wellbeing.

Boland spent 11 years at Meta, rising to Vice President of Partnerships before leaving in 2020. He described an evolution from having "deep blind faith" in the company to holding a "firm belief" that CEO Mark Zuckerberg cared most about "competition and power and growth." His testimony countered Zuckerberg's own, given a day earlier, which framed Meta's mission as balancing safety with free expression.

According to Boland, the company's old "move fast and break things" motto was more than a slogan; it was a cultural ethos. He recalled employees finding notes asking, "what will you break today?" The goal, he said, was to launch products without deep consideration of potential harm. He testified that while safety issues prompted efforts to manage press cycles, they rarely sparked fundamental product reviews.

Boland explained that algorithms, which he called "relentless" in pursuing programmed goals like engagement, lack morality. "Doesn't eat, doesn't sleep, doesn't care," he stated. When he directly raised concerns with Zuckerberg about data showing "harmful outcomes," Boland recalled the CEO responding with a comment about hoping he was still proud of his work. Boland resigned soon after, leaving behind millions in unvested stock.

Meta's attorney noted Boland did not work on youth safety teams, and he agreed advertising models and algorithms are not inherently bad. The company maintains that user enjoyment and safety are in its long-term interest. The trial continues as the jury weighs whether Meta and YouTube are liable for alleged harms to a young woman's mental health.

Source: The Verge