Facebook whistleblower to testify at U.S. Senate hearing next week, lawmakers say
A 3D-printed Fb brand is seen positioned on a keyboard on this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Picture
WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Two U.S. senators mentioned on Tuesday a Fb Inc whistleblower will testify at a Senate listening to subsequent week about what one among them referred to as the social media firm’s “poisonous results” on younger customers.
“This whistleblower’s testimony might be important to understanding what Fb knew about its platforms’ poisonous results on younger customers, after they knew it, and what they did about it,” Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, head of a subcommittee of the Senate commerce panel, mentioned in an announcement asserting the Oct. 5 listening to.
Senator Marsha Blackburn, the subcommittee’s prime Republican, mentioned: “From turning a blind eye to the destructive impacts of its platforms on teenagers’ psychological well being to its incapacity to police for trafficking, home servitude, and different dangerous content material, Fb has loads to account for.”
Fb didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The announcement got here a day after Instagram, the photo-sharing service owned by Fb, mentioned it had hit a pause on a brand new app it’s creating for youngsters amid rising criticism from U.S. lawmakers and advocacy teams.
The senators’ assertion didn’t give any details about the whistleblower.
Modifying by Cynthia Osterman
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