Mark Zuckerberg to families of exploited kids: 'I'm sorry for everything you've been through'
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg faced the music before Congress on Wednesday.
The Facebook founder and CEO of Meta, which also owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, had a signature moment during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing called "Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis."
During his questioning of Zuckerberg, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri said that families of children and teens exploited on social networks were in attendance. "Have you apologized to the victims? Would you like to do so now? … They're here. You're on national television."
Zuckerberg got out of his chair and turned and faced the crowd in attendance. “I’m sorry for everything you have all been through,” he said.
"No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered, and this is why we invested so much and are going to continue doing industry-leading efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the types of things that your families had to suffer,” Zuckerberg said, and then sat back down.
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Hawley continues questioning Zuckerberg
Hawley wasn't done with Zuckerberg and asked whether he would take personal responsibility in compensating the victims.
"You're a billionaire. Will you commit to compensating the victims?" he asked Zuckerberg. "Will you set up a victims' compensation fund? With your money? The money you made on these families sitting behind you? Yes or no?"
Zuckerberg answered, "Senator, I don't think that that's … my job is …"
Hawley interrupts: "Sounds like a no."
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Other tech CEOs questioned
Zuckerberg wasn't the only tech CEO questioned during the hearing. Also questioned: the leaders of TikTok, Snap, Discord and X.
Later, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel also apologized to families who had children die after buying drugs using Snapchat.
“I’m so sorry that we have not been able to prevent these tragedies,” Spiegel said, before listing some of the company's initiatives to protect young users, CNN reported.
Lawmakers have been devising legislation to protect young social media users.
"This stand against online child sexual exploitation is bipartisan and absolutely necessary," said Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who has introduced the Stop CSAM (child sexual abuse material), which would let victims sue online networks over the issue.
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
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