in a hearing that focused on efforts to better protect children on their platforms from sexual exploitation.
And the tone was set almost immediately. Here's the ranking Republican member, Senator Lindsey Graham, to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg:
"You and the companies before us, I don't mean for it to be so, but you have blood on your hands. You have a product that's killing people."
The hearing marks the latest effort by lawmakers to address the concerns of parents and mental health experts that social media companies put profits over making sure their platforms do not harm children.
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin cited statistics from a nonprofit group that showed financial "sextortion," in which a predator tricks a minor into sending explicit photos and videos, had skyrocketed last year.
Zuckerberg testified along with X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and Discord CEO Jason Citron.
And the executives defended their efforts to protect their users...
CHEW: "We make careful product design choices to help make our app inhospitable to those seeking to harm teens"
YACCARINO: "X has zero tolerance toward any material that features or promotes child sexual exploitation."
But when pressed by one lawmaker about a proposed bill that would require platforms disclose data-collection methods and algorithms, the representatives demurred. Here's Democratic Senator Chris Coons:
"Is there any one of you willing to say now that you support this bill? Mr. Chairman, let the record reflect a yawning silence from the leaders of the social media platforms."
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are looking at ways of removing protections enjoyed by social media platforms under what's known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, granting them legal immunity from most types of content on their sites.
Advocates of reform say opening up these companies to liability will force them to clamp down on harmful content.
As Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said it:
"Your platforms really suck at policing themselves."
And some Senators took the opportunity to grill the tech executives, primarily Meta's Zuckerberg, who bristled under the pointed accusations.
Here's part of a fiery exchange with Republican Josh Hawley:
HAWLEY: "Have you compensated the victims?"
ZUCKERBERG: "I don't believe so."
HAWLEY: "Don't you think they deserve some compensation for what your company has done?"
The senator then prodded the CEO to stand up and apologize to families of victims harmed by social media sitting in the gallery.
Social media sites have been under fire over content moderation. X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has loosened moderation since its takeover by Elon Musk. This week, the company blocked searches for pop singer Taylor Swift after fake sexually explicit images of Swift spread on the platform.
Free-speech advocates warn that removing protections for platforms hosting content could lead to a clampdown on expression online.
