ICYMI: Blackburn Calls Out Instagram On CNBC’S Closing Bell
December 13, 2021
NASHVILLE, TENN. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member and Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security, called out Instagram over their willingness to put children at risk on CNBC’s Closing Bell.
Watch full video here.
Instagram Is An Advertising Agency
“Well, many times what you will hear the social media platforms say that they collect this data and then they feed you more of what you want. Because the longer you stay online, the more eyeballs they attract, the richer that data is, and the more money they make. Indeed, Mr. Mosseri yesterday said they were a big ad company, and it was good to get that admission from him. They're an advertising company.”
Big Tech Algorithms Jeopardize Our Children’s Safety
“Now, what we know from parents, teachers, and pediatricians is that sometimes it is algorithms pushing children into following certain celebrities, absorbing, seeing, and hearing certain content that leads to some of these self harm and mental health issues. Indeed, this is the type of activity that leads children to have pedophiles, predators, drug dealers, traffickers who may be following them.”
Blackburn Has Pressured Big Tech Since 2012
“This is an issue that I've been working on for the last decade. Indeed, the first online privacy bill that I brought forward was in 2012, and I am continuing to work on the issue of child online safety, child privacy, online privacy for consumers, data security, and Section 230 reforms. Those are the areas that we have to touch. We have to improve. We have to put down the guardrails and have that clearly defined one federal standard, one set of rules for the entire internet ecosystem, one regulator. This is something that people are saying we need to see this so that the online space is going to be safe and secure and people can protect their privacy for children.”
