Meta, TikTok, X CEOs testify before Senate committee on child exploitation
31 January 2024
(The Hill) — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Wednesday blasted Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, over the company’s content moderation policies, specifically regarding children and teenagers, which was the subject of a Senate Judiciary Hearing Committee hearing.
“Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands,” Graham said as cheers erupted from spectators in the hearing room.
“You have a product that’s killing people,” he added.
Zuckerberg, X CEO Linda Yaccarino, TikTok CEO Shou Chew, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Discord CEO Jason Citron all appeared before the panel during its hearing titled “Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis.”
“It is now time to repeal section 230,” Graham said, referring to a federal law that allows online operators and publishers to moderate content on their platforms as they wish.
Earlier during the hearing, Zuckerberg told the committee, “These issues are important every parent and every platform is committed to continuing to work in these areas. And I hope we can make progress today.”
A person in the audience at the hearing, which is filled with parent advocates in the crowd, yelled out “no thanks” in response.