Executives of major social media platforms have recently been under investigation. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s statements within the scope of the lawsuit in the US attracted attention. He did not forget to apologize to the families of children harmed on Facebook and Instagram.
Meta CEO apologizes to families for social media abuse
US senators claim that social media platforms are not doing enough to protect young users. They even accuse the platforms of contributing to the social media abuse of children.
There were interesting moments in the sessions with executives from Twitter, TikTok, Discord and Snapchat. For example, one of the senators, Lindsey Graham, said that CEOs have platforms that “ruin people” and that they have blood on their hands.
Faced with great criticism within the scope of the investigation, executives outlined new security measures for young users. Meta, which owns WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, said it would block messages to accounts aged 16 and under.
It also said it would make it harder to find posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. On the other hand, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “I’m sorry for everything you’re going through. No one should have to go through what your families have gone through.”
However, senators were skeptical of the companies’ statements, noting the evolving threats. The session agreed to further address addiction, bullying and privacy issues affecting young users. Still, it remains to be seen whether platforms can truly protect children in the virtual world.
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