Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, alongside other tech executives, faced a fiery hearing in the US Senate, apologizing to families who claimed their children suffered harm from social media. The hearing delved into the protection of children online, providing a rare opportunity for senators to question industry leaders.
Countries including Japan and Austria have halted funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) due to allegations of staff involvement in the October Hamas attacks on Israel. Families affected by social media-related tragedies attended the hearing, adding emotional weight to the proceedings.
During questioning, Zuckerberg apologized to families and defended the use of prompts on Instagram to address potentially harmful content. He faced scrutiny over his company's handling of child safety issues, especially in light of previous congressional testimonies.
Senators expressed frustration over tech companies' attitudes towards pending legislation aimed at holding them accountable for content on their platforms. Discord CEO Jason Citron faced criticism for apparent reservations about proposed bills, highlighting challenges in achieving bipartisan regulation.
Tech executives disclosed the number of content moderators employed on their platforms. Meta and TikTok each reported 40,000 moderators, Snap had 2,300, X had 2,000, and Discord mentioned having "hundreds." The discussion touched on Discord's role in detecting and preventing child abuse on its platform.
After the hearing, parents rallied outside, urging lawmakers to swiftly pass legislation to hold tech firms accountable. The parents emphasized the urgent need for regulations, citing the widespread impact of social media-related harms on average children.
Despite apologies and disclosures, the hearing underscored ongoing challenges in regulating social media platforms effectively. The call for urgent legislation reflects the growing concern about the impact of online content on children's safety and well-being.