Zuckerberg and Hawley in testy exchange as social media CEOS testify

(31 Jan 2024)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4475835

POOL
Washington DC - 31 January 2024
1. Cutaway of Senate Judiciary Committee hearing witnesses swearing-in
HEADLINE: Social media CEOs testify in heated Senate hearing
ANNOTATION: The CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about child safety on their platforms.
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"Have you compensated any of the victims, these girls? Have you compensated them?"
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"I don't believe so."
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"Why not? Don't you think they deserve some compensation for what your platform has done? Help with counseling services? Help with dealing with the issues that your services cause?"
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"Our job is to make sure that we build tools to help keep people safe."
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"Are you going to compensate them?"
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"Senator, our job and what we take seriously is making sure that we build industry-leading tools to find harmful content and take it off the services."
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"To make money... to make money'"
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"Build tools that empower parents."
++WHITE FLASH++
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"Let me ask you this. There's families of victims here today. Have you apologized to the victims?"
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"I...."
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"Would you like to do so now? They're here. You're on national television. Would you like now to apologize to the victims who have been harmed by your show him the pictures? Would you like to apologize for what you've done to these good people?"
13. Zuckerberg stands to speak to audience UPSOUND (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered. And this is why we invested so much and our hope... big efforts to, to make sure that. No one wants to go through the types of things that your families have had to suffer..."
++WHITE FLASH++
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"Why, Mr. Zuckerberg? Why should your company not be sued for this? Why is it that you can claim you hide behind a liability shield? You can't be held accountable. Shouldn't you be held accountable personally? Will you take personal responsibility?"
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"Senator, I think I've already answered this. I mean, this is."
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"We'll try this again. Will you take personal responsibility?"
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"Senator, I view my job and the job of our company is building the best tools that we can to keep our community safe."
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
"Well, you're failing at that, too."
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"Well, Senator, we're doing an industry-leading effort. We build tools."
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO:
"These are. These are."
22. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri: