Blackburn Lays Bare Zuckerberg’s ‘Litany of Lies’ to the American People

Added: 2026-05-15

[00:00:00]Good afternoon. Thank you all for being here. Senator Klobuchar will be in the room in just a moment.

[00:00:07]And this subcommittee on privacy, technology, and the law will come to order. And today, we're going to examine the landmark verdicts out of Los Angeles and New Mexico that prove what so many of us have known for years.

[00:00:25]That social media companies intentionally design their platforms to addict our children and to profit from our children.

[00:00:37]When our children are on those platforms, they are the product. For too long, families who sought justice were turned away at the courthouse doors as big tech CEOs hid behind the shield of Section 230.

[00:00:52]Parents could not get the accountability they deserved. We have hauled big tech CEOs in front of congressional committees and held hearings with courageous whistleblowers, like the hearing Senator Klobuchar and I held last year with two whistleblowers who provided testimony under oath, that Meta suppressed child safety research and profited from what one user called the pedophile kingdom.

[00:01:25]While big tech continues acting with impunity, parents and families have not stopped fighting for children across this entire nation.

[00:01:35]The tide is beginning to turn, and these recent verdicts signal a shift. Courts are beginning to conclude that protecting our children online is not a content issue. Indeed, it is a platform design issue.

[00:01:53]These social media platforms are designed to capture our child's attention, maximize the engagement, and profit off what I call their virtual you.

[00:02:06]And big tech has zero remorse for how this harms children. They have zero respect for the child.

[00:02:20]We will also hear about Mark Zuckerberg's testimony in the LA trial.

[00:02:25]And let's be clear, for years Meta has done everything in its power to keep Mr. Zuckerberg from the witness stand. And after his testimony in this case, we know why.

[00:02:39]He has lied to Congress for years, whether it was about Meta's goal to increase screen time or about Meta's own internal research showing that there was a negative correlation between social media use and teen mental health.

[00:02:58]One thing is abundantly clear.

[00:03:01]Meta's record when it comes to protecting children online is indefensible.

[00:03:09]And these are not the only cases moving forward in federal court. Thousands of cases, many as part of the multi-district litigation involving families, state attorneys general, and school districts detailed just how deep the rot is at these companies. But these [snorts] court cases alone are not enough because while courts can punish past harms, it is up to Congress to prevent future harm to our children.

[00:03:41]That's why Congress must pass my Kids Online Safety Act. The bill simply ensures that online platforms are designed with safety in mind for our nation's children. That's it.

[00:03:56]It is a simple bill.

[00:03:59]And it's incredibly telling that social media companies have spent tens of millions of dollars to defeat KOSA and any other regulation to protect children online. In the first quarter of 2026, Meta and Google hired one lobbyist for every six members of Congress.

[00:04:24]One lobbyist for every six members of Congress. Think about that. I want to call attention to the fact that there are two parents here with us who lost their children due to Big Tech's exploitation while hundreds of Big Tech lobbyists who are actively working to stop KOSA and other child safety legislation hide in boardrooms across this city.

[00:04:56]Ms. Bogart, Ms. Senoring are here to tell their stories and urge Congress to finally take some action. And the American people are paying attention to this issue. I also want to take a moment to thank the parents that are here with us and in the audience today.

[00:05:16]Uh their stories are so compelling and their help in passing the Kids Online Safety Act is so appreciated and I know we're not going to stop until we get this to President Trump's desk this year. I look forward to the testimony and uh I recognize the ranking member.

[00:05:39]Thank you.