Survivor Parents Appalled by Announcement of Mark Zuckerberg Appearing at Presidential Inauguration
Meta Spent Millions on Lobbying Money to Stop Advancement of the Kids Online Safety Act Last Year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg Gave Empty Apology to Survivor Parents on Jan. 31, 2024
Parents for Safe Online Spaces (ParentsSOS) issued the following statement today in response to the announcement that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg would appear on the Inauguration platform alongside Cabinet picks and elected officials:
“Mark Zuckerberg doesn't belong on the presidential platform or any platform when his platforms continue to hurt children and cost them their lives. He apologized to us a year ago at the Big Tech Hearing for Meta’s failures to protect our children from online harms only because Congress forced him to. His apology was merely one of smoke and mirrors as once the cameras were gone, it was open season on children on Meta’s platforms as usual. And just last week, Zuckerberg announced changes that will make Instagram and other Meta platforms even less safe for children and teens.
Meta and its lobbyists spent over 90 million dollars to lobby against the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), legislation that we worked tirelessly to try to pass last Congress. While we made incredible progress, ultimately Meta’s lobbying dollars meant more to Congress than protecting kids. Now it appears Mr. Zuckerberg has bought his way onto the stage with leading members of the Trump Administration.
We urge President Trump to reconsider having Mr. Zuckerberg on the platform on Inauguration Day as his presence represents a total disrespect to the lives of our lost children and the battle we have been fighting to prevent other children from dying from online harms.”
