UNITED STATES – JANUARY 31: Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled “Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis,” in Dirksen building on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
By Kristin Bride | The Hill
Moms are not happy.
In lieu of flowers, cards or breakfast in bed, moms across the country are yearning for something else this Mother’s Day.
We do everything in our power to protect our kids and keep them safe from harm. We tell them to look both ways before crossing the street and to wear a helmet while riding a bike. We show them what to do in case of a fire or emergency and who to contact for help. We teach them not to talk to strangers or share personal information with anyone they don’t know online. But in today’s digital age, our best efforts just aren’t enough. Parents can’t solve this problem alone.
We need help — and we want action. Action from Congress to address the devastating consequences of an unregulated social media industry and take meaningful steps to protect our children online.
My son Carson, like countless others, fell victim to the relentless harassment and cruelty that so often thrives online. Cyberbullying isn’t just a harmless exchange of words. It’s a form of psychological violence that can result in serious harm, including depression, anxiety, and tragically, suicide. Carson was a bright, kind-hearted young man, but the constant barrage of hateful messages he received online from anonymous classmates pushed him to a breaking point.
No parent should ever have to endure the pain of losing a child in such a senseless and preventable way. He should still be here today, and so should every child whose life has been needlessly cut short due to the harmful effects of an industry that has repeatedly placed profits above safety.
I’ve turned my grief into action. And I’m not alone. One hundred days ago, parents like me who lost a child sat in a congressional hearing room while senators grilled tech CEOs about the dangerous products they have unleashed on a generation of developing brains all while padding their pockets and keeping their own kids off of social media.
It was Meta CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg who, after a pointed line of questioning by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), stood to apologize to the families in the room. “I’m sorry for everything you have all been through,” he said. “No one should go through the things that your families have suffered.”
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