This move follows the recent criticism faced by social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram over their negative effects on teens and children. The Senate subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security will conduct the hearing. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the subcommittee, said the hearing will focus on the impact these platforms have on children and will look at how the situation can be improved. It is believed that the hearing will focus on subjects such as “eating disorders, harassment, bullying, online safety, and data privacy.” The subcommittee is also expected the discuss legislation that could protect young users.
Mental Health of Children: A Unifying Cause for U.S. Lawmakers
The mental health of children appears to be a unifying cause for lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum. Hearings of this kind are rare, but very valuable for the larger public, as well. They are an opportunity to learn about the guarded world of social media algorithms, and possible hidden aspects of corporate data practices. According to Senator Blumenthal, “The bombshell reports about Facebook and Instagram—their toxic impacts on young users and lack of truth or transparency—raise serious concerns about Big Tech’s approach toward kids across the board.” Marsha Blackburn, the subcommittee’s ranking Republican, said, “TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube all play a leading role in exposing children to harmful content.” The following policy leads will represent their companies, who will also provide their testimonies:
Jennifer Stout, Vice President of Global Public Policy at Snap Michael Beckerman, Vice President and Head of Public Policy at TikTok Leslie Miller, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google, who also leads the YouTube public policy team
TikTok, Snap, and YouTube’s Recent Track Record
The three platforms are very popular with children and teens. In recent months, they have made efforts to increase and improve protections for young users. For example, in August of this year, TikTok added several new protections for users under the age of 18 as it faced growing regulatory pressure. However, the company’s data practices have been questioned in the EU, where it faces a probe from the Irish Data Protection Commission. YouTube has also come under scrutiny in Europe. In September, a lawsuit was filed against it for violating UK and EU child privacy laws.
