Meta has fired Jeren A. Miles after he was caught on video in an amateur sting operation for catching pedophiles. Before the video, Miles was Head of Global Community Development for Meta. The video went viral on YouTube before being reposted on Reddit, among other sites.
PCI Predator Catchers Indianapolis, the group behind the two-hour video, is an amateur group that devotes itself to catching pedophiles in the same vein as the To Catch A Predator TV show. The group posted the video on their YouTube page. The video doesn’t show Miles admitting to having sexual relations or intending to have sex with a minor. However, during his interrogation in the video, he admits to sending graphic, sexually inappropriate messages to a 13-year-old boy.
Miles Disappears From Social Media
Since the video’s release, Jeren has deleted all of his social media accounts. While Miles is no longer with Meta, it isn’t clear whether he resigned or was fired. Nick Clegg has replaced Miles, as head of Global Community Development.
A Meta Spokesperson said in a statement, “The seriousness of these allegations cannot be overstated. The individual is no longer employed with the company. We are actively investigating this situation and cannot provide further comment at this time.”
Meta has been dealing with varying controversies for quite some time. Recently, Meta chose to implement a personal boundary feature to prevent avatars from invading each other’s personal space after a woman came forward about a virtual gang rape. Additionally, Meta is under investigation by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office regarding claims of safety code breaches in the Quest 2 VR headset. Among Meta’s other controversies, Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, is suing Meta over its use of facial recognition with the expectation of claiming hundreds of billions of dollars in damages. Despite its many scandals, the company continues to thrive financially and is one of the top contenders in the metaverse industry.
Jack Brassell is a freelance journalist and aspiring novelist. Jack is a self-proclaimed nerd with a lifelong passion for storytelling. As an author, Jack writes mostly horror and young adult fantasy. Also an avid gamer, she works as the lead news editor at Hardcore Droid. When she isn't writing or playing games, she can often be found binge-watching Parks & Rec or The Office, proudly considering herself to be a cross between Leslie Knope and Pam Beasley.
