“Meta must be transparent about why this egregious content is allowed on its platform and why its own algorithms promoted it for users to view and engage with.”  

Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following joint statement today after last week’s reporting that Instagram hosts a vast network of pedophilic content and that its algorithms are actively driving users to this content: 

“Last week we were appalled to read the sickening reports of child sex abuse material on Instagram and have since taken action to demand answers and hold Big Tech accountable. We are in the process now of scheduling briefings with Meta and Instagram. Meta must be transparent about why this egregious content is allowed on its platform and why its own algorithms promoted it for users to view and engage with. It is clear these companies cannot be trusted to protect children on their platforms, which is why the majority of parents want Congress to do more to strengthen protections for online safety. And they are right. The exploitation of children that this report revealed is indefensible, and we are determined to rein in these social media companies, starting with the passage of bipartisan privacy legislation. 

“Our Committee staff are also meeting with the teams at Stanford and University of Massachusetts that helped uncover and analyze this horrible content. That academic researchers and reporters appear to have discovered this issue before Meta demonstrates the urgency of requiring Big Tech to address the harms of its platforms on kids. Big Tech must be held accountable.”