After heavy criticism: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg surprised by apologizing

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Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (39) caused a stir by apologizing to families whose children were harmed by online platforms. “I’m sorry for what you’re going through,” the president of internet giant Meta told families sitting in the audience at a Senate hearing in Washington on Wednesday. “No one should have to go through what your family endured.”

At the hearing titled “Big Tech and the Crisis of Child Sexual Exploitation on the Internet” held in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg and the heads of online companies X, TikTok, Snap and Discord had to listen to serious allegations. “Mr. Zuckerberg, you and other companies are against us, I know you don’t want this, but you have blood on your hands,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (68) said. “You have a product that kills people.”

Snapchat boss Evan Spiegel also apologized

The hearing focused on, among other things, the sexual exploitation of minors online and the efforts of online platforms to protect minors. Company bosses have been accused of not doing enough to tackle the dangers children face when using online platforms, linked to sexual predators or suicide. Victims and their families who were harmed due to the use of services were also present at the hearing in the US Senate.

Zuckerberg did not apologize to them of his own free will, but was pressured to do so by Republican Senator Josh Hawley, 44. “There are families of victims here today. Have you apologized to the victims?” Hawley asked the internet entrepreneur, whose Meta Group includes Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as the Facebook platform founded 20 years ago. “You want to do this now? You’re here.” Zuckerberg later stood up and apologized.

Snap boss Evan Spiegel, 33, also apologized for the deaths of minors who purchased drugs through Snapchat. “I regret that we could not prevent these tragedies.”

In his opening remarks, Zuckerberg said Meta “works hard to provide support and control to parents and teens to reduce potential harm.” He added that young people’s safety has been an issue “since the dawn of the Internet.” Criminals are constantly improving their strategies.

US states filed a lawsuit against Meta

But senators pointed to internal documents that show Zuckerberg has refused to strengthen teams to track online threats against young people. “The hypocrisy is incredible,” Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, 77, told the New York Times. “We keep hearing how important this is to them and that they are working on it, but the documents paint a completely different picture.”

TikTok boss Shou Zi Chew (41) announced at the Senate hearing that he wants to invest more than two billion dollars (about 1.7 billion francs) in “trust and security”. 40,000 employees will work on the issue.

Linda Yaccarino, 60, general manager of tech billionaire Elon Musk’s (52) text messaging service X, said Wednesday that her company believes “freedom of expression and security can and should coexist.”

Critics have accused Meta for years of making it too easy for users, especially pedophiles, to use its online networks and messaging services to distribute child pornographic material. More than 40 US states filed a lawsuit against Meta, claiming that the company provided inadequate protection, especially for children. The EU Commission also launched an investigation into the child protection measures of Meta and other digital companies. (nad/AFP)

Source :Blick