Transcript: Senate Hearing on Social Media and Teen Mental Health with Former Facebook Engineer Arturo Bejar

Justin Hendrix is CEO and Editor of Tech Policy Press. Arturo Bejar Former Director of Engineering for Protect and Care at Facebook, testifies in the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, November 7, 2023. On Tuesday, November 7, former Facebook engineer Arturo Bejar testified to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law in a hearing chaired by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Bejar testified about Meta’s knowledge of the harm its platforms cause to children and teens, and its failure to take action. Bejar discussed evidence he presented to top executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri, and Sheryl Sandberg, regarding the prevalence of harmful experiences on Facebook and Instagram. He criticized the company for engaging in a strategy of distraction, denial, and deception, and for disregarding recommendations to make the platforms safer. Bejar also highlighted the need for legislative reform and transparency from social media companies. Senators expressed concerns about the addictive nature of social media, the spread of harmful content, and the need for legal liability for these platforms. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) pledged to seek a vote on the bills passed by the committee before the end of the year, and emphasized his view of the importance of holding social media companies accountable through a private right of action. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) discussed Facebook’s failure to address the harm caused to kids. Sen. Blumenthal expressed his support for the Kids Online Safety Act and the need for transparency and accountability from social…Transcript: Senate Hearing on Social Media and Teen Mental Health with Former Facebook Engineer Arturo Bejar