Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

US Senator Accuses Mark Zuckerberg: ‘Facebook Kills People’

Eugene Park Views  

“사람 죽이는 제품 만들었다”…美 의회 질타에 고개 숙인 SNS 경영자들
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, looks serious as he attends a hearing held at the Senate in Washington DC on the 31st of last month (local time). Photo=AP·Yonhap News

At a hearing titled ‘Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis’ held by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, criticism poured out against the CEOs of social media (SNS) platforms. The hearing continued with accusations that the platforms are neglecting the sexual exploitation of minors and opinions were raised that Congress should promptly pass legislation to protect minors.

Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, Evan Spiegel of Snapchat, Zhu Shouzhu of TikTok, Linda Yakarino of X (formerly Twitter), and Jason Citron of Discord attended the hearing on the 31st (local time) as witnesses.

In the audience, families of victims of social media harm held up photos of their children. They criticized the CEOs, applauded the lawmakers’ questions, and broke down in tears over the loss of their loved ones.

At the start of the hearing, screens showed videos of children being bullied on social media and told the story of a victim who took her own life after being extorted by her rapist.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) opened the hearing by saying to the CEOs, “You have blood on your hands. You are making products that kill people.”

He pointed out that there are frequent cases of minors losing their lives due to exposure to harmful content on these social media platforms and becoming addicted. He continued, “Social media companies have created products with positive aspects, but they also have a dark side that is too dark to bear.”

“사람 죽이는 제품 만들었다”…美 의회 질타에 고개 숙인 SNS 경영자들
At the ‘Big Tech and Online Child Exploitation Crisis’ hearing held by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C on the 31st (local time), families of victims in the audience hold up photos of family members who were harmed by SNS. Photo=AP·Yonhap News

Republican Senator Josh Hawley (Missouri) asked Zuckerberg to stand up and asked him, “Do you have any intention of apologizing to the victims harmed by your product?” He then demanded Zuckerberg, “Your product is killing people,” and “You should compensate the families of the victims.”

Republican Senator Ted Cruz (Texas) criticized Instagram for failing to do its part to protect children from explicit content.

Senator John Kennedy of the same party questioned whether Meta has become a “killing field” that only lets users see one side of an issue and hides the truth.

Senator Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee) of the same party presented an internal document from Meta estimating the lifetime value of a teenage user at $270, saying, “How can you think like that? It’s truly astonishing.” She then fired back, “Children are not your priority,” and “Children are just your product.”

Senator Graham highlighted the case of the son of a South Carolina state representative who became a victim of sexual exploitation by meeting a scammer on Instagram and took his own life, asking Zuckerberg if he had anything to say.

In response, Zuckerberg bowed his head to the families of the victims, saying, “It’s awful,” and “I’m sorry for everything you’ve all been through.” He continued, “No one should have to go through what your families have been through, and that’s why we’re investing a lot,” and “We will continue to work to prevent the things your families had to go through from happening.”

He also suggested that it would be “simple” for Congress to enact legislation, saying that “Apple and Google are responsible for verifying the age of their users to make sure they are not minors.”

Snap CEO Spiegel also apologized to families, saying he was “so sorry we couldn’t prevent these tragedies,” in response to Democratic Rep. Lafonza Butler (Calif.), who cited a case where a minor died after buying drugs on Snapchat.

TikTok CEO Zhu Shouzhu said he would invest $2 billion worldwide in child safety and protection this year, and X’s Yakarino CEO said she supports the ‘Stop Child Sexual Abuse Material Act’ (STOP CSAM Act), which is currently being promoted legislatively.

This legislation allows victims to sue social media companies and makes it easier to request the removal of child sexual abuse-related materials.

Eugene Park
content@www.kangnamtimes.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[WORLD] Latest Stories

  • Perfect Abs to Paralysis: TikTok Star's Battle Against THIS Rare Disease
  • Flight Attendant Turned YouTuber Faces Life-Altering Brain Surgery
  • Actress Olivia Munn Shares Recent Updates In Fight Against Cancer
  • Celebrity Surgeon Caught: Shocking Arrest at the Airport
  • 60-Year-Old Beauty Queen Shatters Age Norms at Miss Buenos Aires
  • Crypto Scandal: Wanted Mastermind Found Living in Luxury Near Embassy

Weekly Best Articles

  • Trump vs. Harris: Which U.S. Election Outcome Will Boost Stocks the Most?
  • Kim Sejeong on Kiss Scene Prep: ‘It’s Like Laying the Foundation for a Building!’
  • Kim Tae Ri’s Character Faces Devastating Setback in ‘Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born’
  • Lee Seung Gi Goes Bald! Shocking Change for His Role in ‘About Family’
  • Man Who Sponsored $1.2M to Streamer Juice Se Yeon Says She Blocked Him After Scandals
  • BTS Music Video Star and Tattoo Model Kim Woo Young Remembered 6 Years Later
  • Outback’s Last Ride: Subaru Launches 30th Anniversary Edition with Exclusive Features
  • Chrysler’s 2025 SUV: A Glimpse into the Future of Electric Vehicles
  • Fiat’s ‘Ugliest Car’ Makes a Comeback with Hyundai’s Pixel Design Twist
  • THIS is the Country Jensen Huang Thinks Will Lead the AI Revolution
  • Volkswagen Shutting Down German Plant for the First Time Ever—Big Layoffs Expected
  • Kim Nam Gil Spills Secrets About The Fiery Priest 2—Why Fans Should Be Excited

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Kim Nam Gil Spills Secrets About The Fiery Priest 2—Why Fans Should Be Excited

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    Google's Tax Tricks: How They Pay Pennies on Billions in Korean Revenue

    BUSINESS 

  • 3
    BJ Juice Se Yeon Deletes ‘Suspicious’ Photo with Kim Haon—Fans Speculate Romance

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 4
    G-Dragon’s Secret Addiction? The K-pop Star Can’t Stop Watching Dating Shows

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    Chef Triple Star Shows Up at Event Despite Explosive Cheating and Embezzlement Claims

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Jaehyun Joins the Military—Here’s What Happens to His Career While He’s Away

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    BMW M3 to Feature 600 HP Mild Hybrid Powertrain—No Plug-in Hybrid Here!

    TECH 

  • 3
    Subaru BRZ Purple Edition: Only 500 Units Available in North America for $35,445

    TECH 

  • 4
    Brazil’s Beloved Nivus Gets a Facelift: New GTS Model Starts at $24,480

    TECH 

  • 5
    Tesla’s Roadster Returns: 621 Miles on One Charge and Insane Speed

    TECH 

Weekly Best Articles

  • Trump vs. Harris: Which U.S. Election Outcome Will Boost Stocks the Most?
  • Kim Sejeong on Kiss Scene Prep: ‘It’s Like Laying the Foundation for a Building!’
  • Kim Tae Ri’s Character Faces Devastating Setback in ‘Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born’
  • Lee Seung Gi Goes Bald! Shocking Change for His Role in ‘About Family’
  • Man Who Sponsored $1.2M to Streamer Juice Se Yeon Says She Blocked Him After Scandals
  • BTS Music Video Star and Tattoo Model Kim Woo Young Remembered 6 Years Later
  • Outback’s Last Ride: Subaru Launches 30th Anniversary Edition with Exclusive Features
  • Chrysler’s 2025 SUV: A Glimpse into the Future of Electric Vehicles
  • Fiat’s ‘Ugliest Car’ Makes a Comeback with Hyundai’s Pixel Design Twist
  • THIS is the Country Jensen Huang Thinks Will Lead the AI Revolution
  • Volkswagen Shutting Down German Plant for the First Time Ever—Big Layoffs Expected
  • Kim Nam Gil Spills Secrets About The Fiery Priest 2—Why Fans Should Be Excited

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Kim Nam Gil Spills Secrets About The Fiery Priest 2—Why Fans Should Be Excited

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    Google's Tax Tricks: How They Pay Pennies on Billions in Korean Revenue

    BUSINESS 

  • 3
    BJ Juice Se Yeon Deletes ‘Suspicious’ Photo with Kim Haon—Fans Speculate Romance

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 4
    G-Dragon’s Secret Addiction? The K-pop Star Can’t Stop Watching Dating Shows

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    Chef Triple Star Shows Up at Event Despite Explosive Cheating and Embezzlement Claims

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Jaehyun Joins the Military—Here’s What Happens to His Career While He’s Away

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    BMW M3 to Feature 600 HP Mild Hybrid Powertrain—No Plug-in Hybrid Here!

    TECH 

  • 3
    Subaru BRZ Purple Edition: Only 500 Units Available in North America for $35,445

    TECH 

  • 4
    Brazil’s Beloved Nivus Gets a Facelift: New GTS Model Starts at $24,480

    TECH 

  • 5
    Tesla’s Roadster Returns: 621 Miles on One Charge and Insane Speed

    TECH 

Share it on...