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“I’m Sorry,” Facebook founder Zuckerberg apologies to victims of social media abuses
The founder of Facebook and CEO of Meta, on Wednesday at a senate hearing, apologized to parents of children who have died or were seriously harmed after suffering abuse through social media.
His apologies followed a contentious exchange with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
Zuckerberg then turned to dozens of parents and activists, and could be heard in the hearing room saying “I’m sorry,” and expressing his regrets for the harms their children suffered.
”The things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer,” he added, a Meta spokesperson told The Hill.
The lawmaker had directly asked Zuckerberg if he has apologized to victims and blasted the billionaire for failing to set up a compensation fund with his vast wealth. Parent advocates in the hearing room, many whom were holding signs of their children who they say were impacted by harms from social media companies, said they had not received an apology.
Zuckerberg defended the company by saying Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has “industry leading” efforts to mitigate risks.
Hawley called the defense “nonsense” and told Zuckerberg “your products are killing people.”
Mary Rodee, a parent advocate in the audience, called Zuckerberg’s comments at the hearing “really weak.”
“If he really wants to apologize to me then answer any of my letters or contacts from any attorneys or anybody else the whole time since my kid died three years ago,” Rodee told The Hill.
Rodee said her son, Riley Basford, died by suicide when he was 15 after he was a victim of sexploitation on Facebook Messenger.
He was sent child sexual abuse material, responded with his own pictures and was then extorted for $3,500 she said.
“In that very short time, he panicked. He was an impulsive 15-year-old. He felt totally trapped and he killed himself,” Rodee said.
“I literally left him at 10:15 in the morning, and at 3 in the afternoon, I’m standing in exactly the same spot watching a body bag with my child,” she said.
The Hill reached out to a Meta spokesperson for comment in response to Rodee’s allegations.
Along with Zuckerberg, the CEOs of TikTok, Discord, Snapchat and X, formerly known as Twitter, are testifying.
During the hearing, senators have pressed the CEOs over harms related to the prevalence of online child sexual abuse material as well as other harmful content, such as posts promoting self harm, suicide and eating disorders.
News
Breaking: Court of Appeal rules in favour of Turaki -led PDP candidate for Osun governorship election
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Thursday, ruled that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Gubernatorial Candidate in Osun State was validly nominated by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee.
The court also ordered INEC to list the PDP logo on the ballot ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
The Court held that access code is neither a creation of the Constitution nor the Electoral Act; rather, a creation of INEC’s guidelines and cannot, in any way, override the provisions of the Constitution.
Section 288 of the Constitution does not specify the method for nominating candidates; it only states that the names of candidates should be forwarded to the Commission.
The court further held that the defendant (INEC) should take steps to include the name of the appellant on the ballot paper.
Additionally, the court ruled that the primary election conducted by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP was a valid primary election in law.
The three-man panel of justices—Justice Mahmud, Justice Jaro, and Justice Ankawere, was unanimous in its judgment.
News
Breaking: NHRC sets up situation room to monitor and document hate speech, intimidation, threat to life ahead 2027
The national Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has set up a situation room to monitor and document all incidences of hate speech, intimidation and threat to life by politicians and other actors ahead of the 2027 general election.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns over rising incidences of hate speech, intimidation and outright threat to life by highly placed individuals, especially politicians and religious leaders.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chef Tony Ojukwu, SAN, revealed this on Thursday in Abuja at a press conference.
He said the situation room would enable the Commission harvest data, analysis and document persons, agencies and others involved in the negative statements in order to ensure they are properly tracked and brought to book by relevant agencies.
Ojukwu also took journalists on a tour of the newly set up situation room.
Details later…..
News
Breaking: NHRC expresses concern over rising incidences of hate speech, threat to life ahead 2027 elections
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns over rising incidences of hate speech, intimidation and outright threat to life by highly placed individuals, especially politicians and religious leaders.
At a press conference in Abuja Thursday, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chef Tony Ojukwu, SAN, recalled statements credited to Senator Francis Fadahunsi and Sheikh Yahya Jingir and described the das dangerous with capacity to set the nation ablaze.
He called on politicians, religious and traditional rulers, among other stakeholders to call their supporters and faithful to orders.
He urged government to act before rhetorics turn to violence, saying the forthcoming election in Osun State should serve as example of Nigeria’s capacity to conduct political contest in compliance with international best practices.
Details later…..
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