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Technology

US Congress grilled Big Tech leaders on child online safety

Executives from Meta, TikTok and X were questioned by US lawmakers about the safety of children who use their products – experts say the companies need to do more than just provide parental controls

By Jeremy Hsu

31 January 2024

Tech executives at a congressional hearing, including: Shou Chew at TikTok, Linda Yaccarino at X and Mark Zuckerberg at Meta

UPI / Alamy Stock Photo

Families confronted Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg with pictures of their dead children, prompting an apology from the executive during a hearing in front of the US Congress on 31 January. The children had been sexually exploited or otherwise harmed through social media prior to their deaths.

“You have blood on your hands,” said Senator Lindsay Graham to executives from TikTok, Snap, Discord, Meta and X (formerly Twitter), who were being questioned about the dangers children…

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