During a fiery Senate hearing on Capitol Hill, Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire boss of Meta, delivered an unexpected apology to families of victims of online child abuse.
In a surprising move, Zuckerberg stood up from his chair and faced the back of the room, where parents held up pictures of their children allegedly harmed by social media. Expressing remorse, Zuckerberg said, "I'm sorry for everything you have all been through." Lawmakers grilled him for hours over Meta's failure to effectively combat child predators and s----rtion crimes on Facebook and Instagram.
Zuckerberg acknowledged the pain experienced by the families, stating, "No one should go through the things that your families have suffered. This is why we invest so much, and we are going to continue industrywide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer."
As the Senate committee played a video featuring children speaking about being bullied on social media platforms, senators recounted tragic stories of young individuals taking their own lives after falling victim to extortion and exploitation.
Senator Holly, addressing Zuckerberg directly, asked if he would apologize to the victims harmed by Meta's product, emphasizing that the hearing was being broadcast live. In response, the 39-year-old tech tycoon rose from his chair, offering a formal apology to the packed room.
However, Senator Holly bluntly told Zuckerberg, "Your product is killing people," advocating for Congress to swiftly revoke Section 230, which shields social media platforms from liability for user-generated content.
Senator Holly also pressed Zuckerberg on whether Meta had plans to compensate the families of victims who suffered from online exploitation, either financially or through support resources like counseling. Zuckerberg admitted, "I don't believe so," emphasizing that Meta's role is to build tools to enhance user safety across their platforms.
The hearing highlighted the contentious relationship between social media platforms and lawmakers, shedding light on the challenges in addressing online exploitation and the broader issue of platform liability.
