'You have blood on your hands': Tech companies questioned over child safety online
Mark Zuckerberg has apologised to families over the harms of social media in a US hearing which lambasted the CEOs of online platforms for their role in child safety.
The bosses of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
In his opening remarks, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham condemned the CEOs and said: "You have blood on your hands."
“You have a product that’s killing people... You can’t be sued, you should be!” Senator Graham added.
The hearing began with recorded testimony from children and parents who said they or their children were exploited on social media. Throughout the event, parents who lost children to suicide silently held up pictures in their memory.
In a series of heated exchanges, the CEO's faced questioning over their personal responsibility to protect young people.
What did the CEOs say during the hearing?
Following a heated exchange, Mr Zuckerberg turned to apologise to the parents at the hearing, saying he was sorry for "the things that your families have suffered".
“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer," he said.
In response, Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley asked Mr Zuckerberg if he has personally compensated any of the victims and their families for what they have been through.
“I don't think so,” Mr Zuckerberg replied.
Snapchat had broken ranks ahead of the hearing and began backing a federal bill that would create a legal liability for apps and social platforms who recommend harmful content to minors.
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, who also took the opportunity to apologise to families, asked the industry to back the bill.
Meanwhile, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said the company is vigilant about enforcing its policy barring children under the age of 13 from using the app.
Linda Yaccarino CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter, said the site does not cater to children.
“We do not have a line of business dedicated to children,” Ms Yaccarino said.
She added the company will also support the Stop CSAM Act - a federal bill that make it easier for victims of child exploitation to sue tech companies.
Why is the hearing happening?
The hearing comes as lawmakers across the world are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives.
Parents in particular claim that social media can hurt users under-18, including worries that it risks driving them to depression or even suicide.
In a rare show of agreement, both Republic and Democratic senators came together to interrogate the CEOs, with the future hope of passing legislation that moderates the companies.
In the UK, regulation is in place to protect children online. The government approved the Online Safety Bill last year, which aimed to introduce rules to social media and other user-generated content-based sites that compel them to remove illegal material from their platforms.
Firms that break these rules would face large fines from the sector’s new regulator, Ofcom.
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