Meta’s Zuckerberg apologizes to families traumatized by social media

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized Wednesday to the families of children who suffered from their experiences on social media, including those with eating disorders and victims of bullies and sexual predators.

Under interrogation by Sen. Josh Hawley at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Mr. Zuckerberg showed remorse.

The founder of the Big Tech company that oversees Facebook and Instagram pushed aside his witness chair, stood up and turned his back on lawmakers to address families holding up pictures of their distressed and dead children.

“I’m sorry for everything that you have all gone through. … No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered,” Mr. Zuckerberg said. “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 that your families have had to suffer.”

Meta has about 40,000 employees working on safety and has spent more than $20 billion on the issue since 2016, Mr. Zuckerberg said.

Mr. Hawley, Missouri Republican, was not satisfied with the CEO’s act of contrition.

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“Will you take personal responsibility?” Mr. Hawley asked after Mr. Zuckerberg turned back to face lawmakers.

“Senator, I view my job and the job of our company as building the best tools that we can to keep our community safe,” Mr. Zuckerberg said.

“Well, you’re failing at that,” Mr. Hawley said.

“Well, Senator,” Mr. Zuckerberg said, “we’re doing an industry-leading effort, we build AI tools that —”

“Oh, nonsense. Your product is killing people,” Mr. Hawley interrupted.

The senator asked the billionaire whether he would commit to personally compensating the victims. Mr. Zuckerberg refused to say whether he would set up a victims’ compensation fund.

Mr. Hawley was far from the only committee member saying the Meta CEO was complicit in killing young Americans. Earlier in the hearing, Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, told Mr. Zuckerberg he had blood on his hands.