Issues like sexual predators, addictive features, self-harm, and unrealistic beauty standards have plagued social media platforms, particularly affecting young users. As children’s advocates and lawmakers raise alarms about inadequate protections, CEOs of major social media companies are facing scrutiny.
On Wednesday, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, top executives including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok’s Shou Zi Chew, and X’s Linda Yaccarino will testify regarding child exploitation on their platforms. This hearing comes amidst escalating concerns about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health and well-being.
While Zuckerberg is no stranger to congressional hearings, having faced scrutiny since the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, it’s a newer experience for Chew and Yaccarino. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Discord CEO Jason Citron are also scheduled to testify.
“We understand that they are companies and they have to make profit. But when you’re faced with really important safety and privacy decisions, the revenue in the bottom line should not be the first factor that these companies are considering,” said Zamaan Qureshi, co-chair of Design It For Us, a youth-led coalition advocating for safer social media.
Meta, in particular, is expected to be at the center of the discussion, facing numerous lawsuits alleging it designed features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms while failing to protect them from online predators.
Despite recent efforts by Meta to enhance child safety features, including hiding inappropriate content and restricting minors’ message access, critics argue these actions fall short of addressing the fundamental issues.
“Looking back at each time there has been a Facebook or Instagram scandal in the last few years, they run the same playbook. Meta cherry picks their statistics and talks about features that don’t address the harms in question,” said Arturo Béjar, a former engineering director at Meta.
As the hearing unfolds, stakeholders hope for meaningful dialogue and concrete steps toward safeguarding young users from the perils of social media.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
