Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) forced Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to face the relatives of minors who died by suicide after facing bullying or sexual exploitation on social media, creating a dramatic moment at a high-profile hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
Zuckerberg was under heavy questioning by Hawley during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on social media and the effects it has on teenagers. The CEO faced questions about the company’s research on teenagers, as well as its efforts to ensure that young users are safe on the platform. During this questioning, the Missouri senator asked Zuckerberg to turn around, face the group of parents whose children died by suicide after engaging with content on Facebook and Instagram, and apologize. “Would you like now to apologize to the victims who have been harmed by your products?” Hawley asked.
Zuckerberg obliged Hawley’s request. He stood up and spoke directly to the people 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 invest 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 your families have had to suffer.”
Several of the parents lifted pictures of the loved ones they had lost to suicide as Zuckerberg spoke.
Hawley tried to get Zuckerberg to agree to set up a compensation fund from his personal wealth for those who were hurt by his app. Zuckerberg declined to do so.
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Zuckerberg was the focus of questions at Wednesday’s hearing early on. He appeared alongside the CEOs of Discord, X, Snap, and TikTok.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) directed his opening remarks toward the Meta CEO, alleging that he had “blood on his hands.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) also questioned him about emails from 2021 that made it look like he declined to increase Meta’s spending on teenage mental wellness protections, although Zuckerberg was not given a chance to respond. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) turned his ire toward the Facebook founder, demanding details about how many people were seeking child sexual abuse material on his platforms.
