Blackburn releases statement on Zuckerberg testimony in social media trial
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released a statement after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before a jury for the first time in the landmark social media trial unfolding in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The plaintiffs have alleged that social media platforms are designed to harm and addict young users. Senator Blackburn’s Kids Online Safety Act, which now has 75 Senate co-sponsors, would require Big Tech companies to make platforms safe by design for minors by enacting a “duty of care.”
“To no one’s surprise, Mark Zuckerberg followed his usual playbook of denial and deceit while sitting just a few steps away from parents who have tragically lost their children as a consequence of the way his platforms are designed to harm young users,” said Senator Blackburn. “86% of Americans want Big Tech companies to be held accountable for their role in the social media addiction crisis. These companies are using the same playbook as Big Tobacco did decades ago by trying to keep kids hooked on products that hurt them. It’s time for legislators to stop ignoring the will of the American people and ensure social media platforms are safer by design for our children and grandchildren.”
Blackburn’s bi-partisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) has passed the U.S. Senate with a 91-3 vote. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky) voted against the bill. Some of them expressed concerns of potential misuse of future administrations and the possibility of lawsuits.
KOSA would require social media platforms to take additional measures to ensure the safety of children that use those platforms. It requires social media platforms to use the strongest privacy settings for children by default. It requires platforms to provide minors with options to protect their information, disable addictive product features, and opt out of personalized algorithmic recommendations.
Additionally, KOSA requires platforms to enable parents and educators to have an active role in reporting harmful behaviors by creating a dedicated channel where reports of harmful behavior can be made.
Social media platforms, under KOSA, would also be required to take actionable steps to help prevent dangers that children face as a result of the platforms, such as suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, and sexual exploitation.
It would also require platforms to undergo independent audits that would monitor how these social media platforms are impacting the health and well-being of minors and how the platforms are responding to keep the kids safe.
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