2024-02-01 12:28:44
Social media showdown in the USA! The tech bosses of the major online networks were grilled by politicians in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Particularly in focus: Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg (39).
It was about sexual exploitation of children online, bullying and social pressure that leads to eating disorders and sometimes even suicide.
► Things got tough in the hearing: “Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the other companies here in front of us, I know you don’t want this, but you have blood on your hands,” said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (68). . “You have a product that kills people.”
Republican Lindsey Graham made serious accusations against the Facebook boss
Foto: Anadolu via Getty Images
Zuckerberg: “I’m sorry”
Then the Facebook boss was pressured into an apology for his company’s failures to protect children. Republican Senator Josh Hawley (44) asked Zuckerberg in the hearing: “There are families of victims here today. Have you apologized to the victims?” The politician continued: “Do you want to do it now? You are here.”
Zuckerberg then rose from his chair – and caused a stir. “I’m sorry for what you all went through,” the boss of the online giant addressed the families sitting in the audience. “No one should have to go through the things your families have endured. It’s terrible.”
Zuckerberg spoke to the victims’ families during the hearing. They held up photos of their children who died as a result of incidents on social networks
Photo: UPI/laif
Zuckerberg rejected the accusation that his platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram) were doing too little to ensure the safety of minors in the pursuit of profit. The multi-billionaire asserted that his company Meta is “working hard to offer parents and teenagers support and control mechanisms to reduce possible damage.”
In the hearing, however, the US politicians referred to internal company documents. According to them, Zuckerberg had refused to strengthen teams that would detect online threats to teenagers.
“The hypocrisy is unbelievable,” complained Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal (77) in the New York Times. “We keep hearing how important it is to them and that they are working on it, but the documents paint a very different picture.”
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