Instagram head Mosseri to face questions about child safety in Senate hearing
VergeNov 25, 2021
US Senate Subpoenas X, Snap, Discord CEOs to Testify on Child Safety
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Image copyright: Drew Angerer/Getty Images News [via Getty Images]
The Facts
The US Senate Judiciary Committee issued subpoenas on Monday to the CEOs of Discord, Snap, and X, requiring them to testify at a Dec. 6 hearing on online child sexual exploitation.
The subpoenas — issued to Discord CEO Jason Citron, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, and X CEO Linda Yaccarino — accuse the three companies of “repeated refusals to appear” during negotiations, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expected to testify at the hearing voluntarily.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Big tech has failed to keep children safe online, and these company's silence on the issue can no longer continue. It's high time these companies testify and inform Congress on how they will protect children from sexual exploitation on their platforms. The digital world needs the same kind of protection for children as already exists in the offline world.
Establishment-critical narrative
While the committee's concerns are legitimate, it's using Big Tech as a scapegoat. Social media safety measures are undoubtedly one part of the equation, but they're not enough on their own to ensure children's safety in this increasingly digital era. Other efforts — such as education on the dangers of social media — and other stakeholders must work in tandem with Big Tech.
