The Senate Judiciary Committee’s grilling of 4 social media executives produced some notable moments. Here are just a few:
Zuckerberg, Spiegel personally apologize to households: Meta CEO Zuckerberg stood to apologize to the households within the listening to room. “I’m sorry for every little thing you may have all been by means of,” he stated. “No one ought to undergo the issues that your households have suffered and that is why we make investments a lot and we’re going to proceed doing industry-wide efforts to ensure nobody has to undergo the issues your households have needed to undergo.”
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel additionally apologized to households whose kids have died after they bought medication on Snapchat. “I’m so sorry that we’ve got not been capable of stop these tragedies,” Spiegel stated, earlier than detailing a few of the efforts the corporate takes to guard younger customers.
“The darkish aspect” of social media merchandise “is just too nice”: Social media firms have created merchandise which have an upside, however in addition they have a darkish aspect that’s “too nice to stay with,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham stated Wednesday whereas grilling chief executives of 4 such firms. Until social media firms are sued for the injury they’re doing, Graham warned that there shall be no change.
Hating social media firms is a uncommon unifying drive on Capitol Hill: Wednesday’s listening to once more demonstrates the breadth of criticism for social media firms amongst lawmakers, a uncommon bipartisan subject on Capitol Hill. Despite each events’ urge for food for going after tech platforms, nevertheless, Congress has but to go significant laws to control social media firms. Most of the motion has taken place in state legislatures and within the courts, which have turn into battlegrounds for brand new insurance policies together with age minimums for social media.
Read the complete rundown of key listening to moments right here.