Mark Zuckerberg, Apologizes in Senate Hearing on Social Media Impact on Children

Today, Wednesday, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, apologized to families in a Senate hearing about the impact of social media on children.

At the beginning of the session, the hearing committee played a video in which children spoke about being bullied on social media platforms. Senators shared stories of young individuals who committed suicide after being blackmailed for money following the sharing of photos with sexual predators.

Under the urging of Republican Senator Josh Hawley, Zuckerberg stood up and addressed the families who shared pictures of their children, claiming they had been harmed by social media.

Hawley asked Zuckerberg, “Do you want to apologize now to the victims who have been harmed by your product?” pointing out that the hearing was being broadcast live.

Zuckerberg stood, turned around, and addressed the families, saying, “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through. No one should go through what your families have endured, and that’s why we invest a lot, and we will continue industry-wide efforts to ensure that no one is subjected to what your families have suffered.”

Hawley strongly criticized Zuckerberg during the heated debate, stating, “Your product is killing people.” Zuckerberg, whose company owns the social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, faced intense scrutiny during the session.