The social media giant is facing scrutiny and criticism as it celebrates its 20th anniversary. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said sorry to families at a hearing about keeping kids safe online. This follows concerns that Facebook may not be doing enough to protect young users.
During a fiery U.S. Senate hearing, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to families who claimed their children faced harm on social media. Zuckerberg, overseeing Instagram and Facebook, turned to the families and said, ‘No one should go through’ the challenges they experienced. The hearing, where tech CEOs faced questions for nearly four hours, focused on child protection online.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and Zuckerberg voluntarily testified, while leaders of Snap, X, and Discord initially refused and received subpoenas. Families behind the tech bosses shared stories of their children’s self-harm or suicides due to social media content.
The hearing covered various topics, including online safety legislation and concerns about data sharing with the Chinese government. Zuckerberg faced intense scrutiny, especially from Senator Ted Cruz, who questioned an Instagram warning prompt about potential exposure to child sexual abuse material.
Responding to Senator Josh Hawley, Zuckerberg stood and apologized directly to the families, stating, ‘I’m sorry for everything you’ve all gone through, it’s terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered.’
Senators expressed frustration at the lack of progress in addressing online safety legislation. Meta announced new safety measures ahead of the hearing, including default settings preventing minors from receiving messages from strangers on Instagram and Messenger.
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Industry analyst Matt Navarra noted the political grandstanding during the hearing and emphasized the ongoing uncertainty regarding substantial regulation of social media platforms. The CEOs disclosed the number of content moderators on their platforms, ranging from hundreds to 40,000.
Upcoming Kids Safety Act
After the hearing, parents staged a rally, urging lawmakers to pass the Kids Online Safety Act. Joann Bogard, a parent whose son faced harm on TikTok, emphasized the urgency of legislation, stating, ‘These harms are happening overnight to our average kids.’ Former Meta staff member Arturo Béjar criticized Meta’s approach, highlighting the need for direct communication from teens about unwanted advances.
Meta stated during the hearing that it had implemented ‘over 30 tools’ to support a safe environment for teens online.