On Wednesday (January 31), the CEOs of global digital giants Meta (formerly known as Facebook), X (previously known as Twitter), Snap (previously known as Snapchat), TikTok, and Discord testified before the US Senate about their businesses’ alleged failings to protect children online. They also apologized to the parents of young social media users.
Parents of children said to have suffered as a result of these platforms’ rules were also present. Later, they spoke to the press about the hazards that children face online, including information that promotes negative body standards and the prevalence of child abuse material. Many parents carried signs with images of their children, some of whom committed suicide.
At one point during the session, Republican Senator Josh Hawley inquired whether Zuckerberg had personally reimbursed any of the victims or their families. “I don’t think so,” Zuckerberg replied. “There’s families of victims here,” Hawley said. “Would you like to apologize to them?” Zuckerberg stood and faced the parents in the gallery. “I’m sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered,” he said.
What was the topic of the Tech CEOs’ hearing?
The hearing was held by the United States Senate’s Judiciary Committee, which frequently serves as a venue for public discussion. According to the company’s website, “The bipartisan hearing marks the first time a group of Big Tech CEOs will testify on online child sexual exploitation, including three first-time Congressional testimonies from the CEOs of X, Snap, and Discord.”
Several industry CEOs, including Zuckerberg, have already testified before the United States Congress on issues ranging from misinformation on social media platforms to non-consensual data sharing.
At the hearing, both Democratic and Republican senators questioned the CEOs about their platforms’ efforts to protect children online, claiming that insufficient measures have been implemented.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz questioned Meta’s policies on content about child sexual abuse. He stated that when a person looks for such information on Instagram, a warning pop-up window displays on the screen and offers them two options: “get resources” or “see results anyway”. Cruz questioned why the second choice was offered at all, asking, “Mr Zuckerberg, what the hell were you thinking?”
Republican Senator Lindsay Graham, the leading Republican on the Judiciary Committee, stated that he was willing to work with both parties to find a solution. “Social media companies as they’re currently designed and operate are dangerous products,” he remarked. Raúl Torrez, Democrat, and New Mexico Attorney General expressed concern with companies’ failure to prioritize kid safety.
What allegations have parents made about these technology companies?
Parents and guardians at the meeting spoke with the Associated Press, saying corporations need to do more when dealing with sexual predators online, apps’ addictive features, and content that can lead to thoughts of suicide and eating disorders with unattainable beauty standards on display.
Young adults and teenagers make up a substantial portion of the audience for these apps. According to a recent Pew Research survey, 78% of 18- to 29-year-olds in the United States use Instagram, which is far higher than the 15% share among those 65 and older. 65% of US persons under 30 use Snapchat, compared to only 4% of the oldest age group. 62% of people aged 18 to 29 say they use TikTok.
Neveen Radwan, a parent, claimed her teenage daughter began watching videos about good diet and exercise during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Radwan told the Associated Press that she suffered anorexia within a few months and “nearly died”.
And how have companies responded?
Generally, the CEOs stated that they are doing their utmost to implement existing standards, such as not allowing children under the age of 13 to use applications and growing teams to monitor children’s well-being.
Notably, in India, a 2021 survey conducted by the National Commission For Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) discovered that 37.8% and 24.3% of 10-year-old children, respectively, have Facebook and Instagram accounts, despite the age requirement for account creation.
Snap CEO Evan Speigel stated that the business will support a national bill establishing legal liability for applications and social platforms that offer hazardous content to kids. Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, stated that the software does not cater to minors. She stated that X will also support legislation that makes it simpler for victims of child exploitation to sue tech giants.
What explains the scrutiny of US politicians?
It follows a series of other cases in recent years in which the power of social media apps has been called into question. In 2017, the Blue Whale challenge made headlines for allegedly pushing people to follow steps similar to other internet challenges, such as executing one job per day for a set length of time. However, these tasks were violent and ended in the “participants” being told to kill themselves at the end of it.
In 2018, it was discovered that Facebook allowed around 87 million Facebook users’ data to be shared with other parties. This included Cambridge Analytica, a political analytic firm affiliated to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016.
Last year, 33 US states said Meta “misled” the public about the hazards of its platforms and willfully persuaded young children and teenagers to engage in obsessive and compulsive social media use. They filed a lawsuit against the firm.
A bipartisan bill, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), was recently introduced in the United States Congress. When asked if they would support the Bill, the CEOs of X and Snap responded yes, but the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, and Discord replied no in its current form.
Some critics argue that key parts of the Bill could severely limit free expression. Requiring users to verify their ages using government-issued ID cards could “threaten users’ privacy, including through the risk of data breaches, and chill their willingness to access sensitive information online because they cannot do so anonymously,” according to an open letter signed by organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union.