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Survivors Face Facebook and Others
A few weeks ago, the CEOs of the world largest social media platforms, including Facebook, TickTock, Instagram, and X (or Twitter), attended a hearing in the US Senate in which a Judiciary Committee gave the social media giants a thrashing and pressing them on alleged shortcomings related to the safety of young people on their platforms.
At the hearing, a number of representatives from Child Protection charities, along with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and CSAM (child sexual abuse material), were in attendance to bravely face the platforms. Whilst the tech executives reaffirmed their commitment to child safety, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced tough questions and at one point turned around to apologise to parents and survivors who also filled the chamber.
One particular Senator, Sen. Thom Tillis, also pressed the CEOs about their commitments to safety, striking some balance between their humanity and the companies they oversee. “At the end of the day, I find it hard to believe that any of you people started this business, some of you in your college dorm rooms, for the purposes of creating the evil that is being perpetrated on your platforms,” he said. “But I hope that every single waking hour, you’re doing everything you can to reduce it.”
At the hearing our good friend and brother, D.J, sat and listened intently to what each of the individuals had to say.
As a survivor of sexual abuse himself and a victim of CSAM, D.J has been an inspirational campaigner for a number of years now working with the amazing USA National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, and the FBI, to help professionals and the public alike to understand the impact of child sexual abuse and CSAM. D.J has also been one of the best friends We Are Survivors could have.
Following the Senate Committee, at the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Centre, D.J met with US Sen John Cornyn to talk about the Project Safe Childhood Act (one of the 5 bills that was discussed at the committee hearing) and whilst it’s been passed through the Senate it is being held up in the House of Representatives.
D.J told us “The experience was nothing short of amazing. Getting to speak and work with the government on making best practice and better processes to help survivors. There has been a lot of discussion around this topic over the last year. The silence is being broken. The continued discussion brings this horrible crime to the front lines. It’s time to get bills passed.”
We are so incredibly proud of D.J, continues to inspire us, and we’re so proud he is part of our We Are Survivors family.
To hear more from D.J click here
