Instagram chief Adam Mosseri is set to testify Wednesday before the Senate Commerce Committee, where he will face scrutiny from lawmakers over his platforms’ perceived harm to children. The hearing follows the release of leaked documents detailing Instagram’s research into how it impacts teen users, and marks the first time Mosseri will testify before Congress in his three years as head of Instagram. Senate Commerce members have indicated their intent to pass legislation addressing Instagram’s perceived harms, with Democratic Sens. Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal reintroducing the KIDS Act in late September in response to Instagram’s research and urged passage of the bill. In anticipation of calls for regulation, Instagram unveiled several new child safety measures and parental controls early Tuesday, just one day before Mosseri is set to speak before Congress. “Instagram’s baby steps fall short of protecting kids,” Blumenthal tweeted. “A PR gambit within hours of its CEO testimony is no substitute for real action.”
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri is set to testify Wednesday before the Senate Commerce Committee, where he will face scrutiny from lawmakers over his platforms’ perceived harm to children.
The hearing is the latest installment in an investigation led by Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn into social media’s negative effects on children, following the release of leaked documents from Meta (formerly Facebook) detailing Instagram’s research into how it impacts teen users. The hearing also marks the first time Mosseri will testify before Congress in his three years as head of Instagram.
Former Facebook employee Frances Haugen, who leaked the documents to Congress and The Wall Street Journal, testified on Instagram’s harms before the Senate in October, pointing to Instagram’s internal research showing use of the platform contributed to depression, suicidal thoughts, body image issues, and other mental health problems.
Blumenthal and Blackburn, along with other Senate Commerce members including Republican Sen. John Thune and Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, have indicated their intent to pass legislation addressing Instagram’s perceived harms.
“Now there is bipartisan momentum – both here and in the House – to tackle these problems we are seeing with Big Tech,” Blackburn will say in her opening remarks tomorrow. “The time is ripe to pass a national consumer privacy bill, as well as kids-specific legislation to keep minors safe online.”
Markey and Blumenthal reintroduced the KIDS Act in late September in response to Instagram’s research and urged passage of the bill.
“The handful of powerful online platforms where kids and teens spend mo... (Read more)
Tweets mentioned:
https://twitter.com/SenBlumenthal/status/1468264616891453442
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