Meta Fails to Protect Seniors as Senators Vow Action
Meta has ignored its own internal reporting on harmful content and complaints by users for years. Steve McAffee, a former Meta employee testified to Meta's culture of increased user harm before the Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on the algorithms used by Meta to place and promote harmful content to senior citizens. After several rambling technical support questions on Apple iPhones, that “weird dinging sound”, and the TikTok mobile app from the subcommittee's septuagenarians, the Senators eventually probed Mr. McAffee about Meta and its lackadaisical attitude toward senior citizens. Mr. McAffee provided internal documents from Meta complete with technical terms, dry discussions, and pointless presentations that many subcommittee members could not or did not read. The focus of the questions eventually focused on two issues for seniors: 1) If everyone is living their best lives online, why won't they call me more often? and 2) Why won't my family visit more often? The Senators were outraged to learn that Meta continues to harm seniors and their relationship with their families by promoting only the best experiences and fun that their families are having without them. Senator Tracey Donnelly, D-Iowa, stated that legislation is needed to force Meta and other social media companies to create better tools to connect families to more God-centered, America-focused, and meaningful activities online and in the real world. Calling for an outright ban on social media and the interner, Senator Harlon G. Oldman, R-Michigan, tearfully remembered the joys of America before the internet came along. The President has weighed in on the debate, asking companies like Meta to help senior citizens online by replacing positive posts from the their relatives with more cat videos. The International Organization for More Cat Media, a large donor to the President's re-election campaign, cheered the President's insight and sensible approach to fighting for America's seniors.