Today's Article

“Your product is killing people. Will you set up a victim's 2compensation fund with your money, the money you made on these families sitting behind you? Yes or no?” 

CNN Anchor: Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, whose company owns Instagram, pushed into apologizing to families who say they were harmed by online content, some waving pictures of children who died or killed themselves. It was an 3astonishing moment. Yet the billionaire head of meta dug in anyway. 

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO: And this is why we invested so much and are going to continue doing industry league efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the types of things that your families have had to suffer. 

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse/ (D) Judiciary Committee: Your platforms really suck at policing themselves. 

CNN Anchor: Against a 4torrent of 5accusations from the Senate committee about enabling sexual 6exploitation, 7election 8meddling, fake news, drug abuse, and child 9endangerment, the heads of five tech giants tried to push back. 

Jason Citron, Discord CEO: We very much believe that this content is disgusting. 

Linda Yaccarino, X CEO: X will be active and a part of this solution. 

CNN Anchor: But the 10fury kept coming. In a rare show of unity between 11democrats…

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, (D) Judiciary Committee: One third of 12fentanyl cases investigated over five months had direct ties to social media. 

CNN Anchor: And Republicans…

Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Judiciary Committee: 37% of teenage girls between 13 and 15 were exposed to 13unwanted 14nudity in a week on Instagram. You knew about it. Who did you fire? 

Mark Zuckerberg: Senator? This is why we're building all… 

Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Judiciary Committee: Who did you fire? 

Mark Zuckerberg: I'm not gonna answer that. 

CNN Anchor: There was plenty of heat to go around as the tech bosses were 15scorched with claims their products promote 16anxiety, 17depression, and 18violence, especially among young people. 

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, (R) Judiciary Committee: Children are not your priority. Children are your product. 

CNN Anchor: But no one was hit harder than Zuckerberg, whose 19attempts at defense at times were literally laughed at. 

Mark Zuckerberg: My understanding is that we don't allow sexually 20explicit content on the service for people of any age. 

Sen. Chris Coon, (D) Judiciary Committee: Is there any one of you willing to say now that you support this 21bill? 

CNN Anchor: Many of the 22lawmakers are intent on overturning a 23longstanding federal law that 24immunizes those companies from lawsuits over user generated content and putting tough 25regulations in place. 

“It's time to actually pass them. And the reason they haven't passed is because of the power of your company. So, let's be really, really clear about that.”

CNN Anchor: And while the tech bosses say they're happy to work on safeguards, 26skepticism ran 27rampant. 

Sen. Lindsey Gra, (R) Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee: Nothing will change until the courtroom door is open to victims of social media.