Dangers for children

Facebook boss apologizes to parents

Mark Zuckerberg at an emotional hearing in the US Congress on the dangers for young people and children on social media(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/ALEX WONG)

"You have blood on your hands," was the accusation made against Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the CEOs of several other tech companies at a hearing in the US Congress on Wednesday, which focused on the dangers and harm to children and young people on social media. In the unusually heated debate, Zuckerberg also made an unusual gesture.

The 39-year-old apologized to parents whose children had been harmed by the use of the meta company's online platforms: "I'm sorry they had to go through all this," Zuckerberg told the family members present, some of whom were holding up photos of their children. "It's terrible," the CEO continued.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, X CEO Linda Yaccarino and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at the hearing in Washington(Bild: AP)

The hearing, which lasted several hours, dealt with problems such as the distribution of child pornography (images of serious child sexual abuse) as well as bullying and social pressure that leads to eating disorders, for example.

Mark Zuckerberg at an emotional hearing in the US Congress on the dangers for young people and children in social media(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/ALEX WONG)

Pursuit of profit more important than child protection?
In addition to Zuckerberg, TikTok CEO Chouzi Chew, Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel, Discord CEO Jason Citron and the head of the online platform X (formerly Twitter), Linda Yaccarino, were also invited to Washington. As is so often the case at such hearings, the senators made strong accusations against the companies. In particular, they accused Zuckerberg's Facebook group Meta of ignoring the safety of children and young people on the platform in the pursuit of profit. Zuckerberg rejected this.

Several laws are currently being drafted in the US Parliament that would, among other things, make it possible to hold online platforms liable for knowingly disseminating child pornography. The senators called on company bosses to support the bills.