Social media has become an integral part of modern society, offering quick and easy access for anyone in the world to an endless stream of information at the click of a button. However, along with these benefits come mental health issues, ranging from cyberbullying, unattainable beauty standards, addictions, sexual predators, and more. These drawbacks are more prevalent amongst adolescents, who are particularly vulnerable due to their developing brains.

 On January 31^st, 2024, the CEOs of major social media companies such as Meta, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and others went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify due to parents and lawmakers becoming concerned about the effects of social media on adolescents’ lives. The hearing was also emotionally heavy, as parents whose children committed suicide because of social media silently held? up the images of their passed children. A recorded testimony was also presented from youth and parents who experienced exploitation on social media. 

The CEOs of social media companies underwent harsh questioning, and in response, highlighted some of their downfalls, but also pushed back on some criticism. 

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina stated, “Mr. Zuckerberg (CEO of Meta which encompasses Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp), you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands.” This statement received applause from the crowd filled with parents of children who lost their lives to social media and its impacts. Shortly after, Graham, the Republicans’ ranking member on the panel, added, “You have a product that’s killing people.” This again received applause. 

The most memorable part of the hearing was when Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri asked if CEO Zuckerburg was going to apologize to the families in the room who lost their children to social media. Zuckerberg proceeded to turn to face them and said the following: “It’s terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered, and this is why we invest so much and are going to continue doing industry-leading efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer.” 

In response to the criticism, the CEOs highlighted ways they have tried to solve their problems. Meta announced that they will hide content that is inappropriate for teens and is also pushing for age verification when people download their platforms. The CEOs of Snapchat and X also publicly endorsed the “Kids Online Safety Act” which will create guidelines to make social media platforms safer for minors. TikTok is aiming to create change by increasing its investment in safety by 2 billion dollars this year. 

Despite all the fiery comments, criticisms, and promises, there is a sense of frustration because these hearings have occurred multiple times but nothing significant or substantial has been done to aid minors on social media and protect them from going down a dark, and potentially fatal, path. It is hard to see that these recent meetings will be any different. As social media becomes more and more prevalent, especially among teens, it is becoming clear that without any action taken, the effects of these platforms on the youth will continue to worsen.