Instead, the heads of Instagram and YouTube, subsidiaries of Meta and Google respectively, are set to testify at the hearing, tentatively scheduled for July 28, reported POLITICO on Wednesday.
The White House has endorsed the James T. Woods Act, a legislative package designed to address online child exploitation. Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a supporter of the proposal, agreed to substitute company executives for the hearing.
A spokesperson for Grassley told the publication that the senator is focused on “getting lifesaving child safety legislation actually signed into law,” rather than holding hearings primarily aimed at generating online clicks and views.
White House, Meta and Alphabet did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Social Media Giants Under Scrutiny
Meanwhile, YouTube settled a lawsuit brought by a teenager who claimed he became addicted to social media, suffering sleep disruption, anxiety, and depression as a result.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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