Share this @internewscast.com

The leaders of X, Meta, Snap, TikTok and Discord have been called to testify before a Senate Judiciary hearing about online child sexual exploitation.

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Monday that they had issued subpoenas to the CEOs of X, Discord and Snap. The senators said they expected Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to testify voluntarily, based on conversations they said had been occurring between committee members and the companies.

In a joint statement, the senators said they were seeking to compel the executives to testify at a hearing scheduled for Dec. 6, where they would “have their chance to explain their failures to protect kids.”

But Linda Yaccarino of X, Jason Citron of Discord and Evan Spiegel of Snap had been less cooperative, according to representatives for the senators.

A representative for Durbin said that X and Discord had refused electronic service of the subpoenas and that the senator’s office had engaged U.S. Marshals to serve them.

“After repeated refusals to appear during several weeks of negotiations, subpoenas have been issued,” the senators said in a news release. “In a remarkable departure from typical practice, Discord and X have further refused to cooperate by accepting service of the subpoenas on behalf of their CEOs, requiring the Committee to enlist the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service to personally serve the subpoenas.”

Wifredo Fernandez, head of U.S. and Canada government affairs at X, said the company is working to comply with the subpoena.

“We have been working in good faith to participate in the Judiciary committee’s hearing on child protection online as safety is our top priority at X,” he wrote in an email. “Today we are communicating our updated availability to participate in a hearing on this important issue.”

Meta declined to comment. Discord and Snap did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Meta, TikTok, Discord, X and Snap have all faced scrutiny over the spread of material depicting the exploitation of children and the use of the platform by adults to groom minors.

In a review of court cases, NBC News identified 35 cases over the past six years in which adults were prosecuted on charges of kidnapping, grooming or sexual assault that allegedly involved communications on Discord. 

Investigations from other news outlets have similarly found that other social media platforms continue to be used for child exploitation.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Nonprofit I Am A Gentleman gifts new clothes to those living at Chicago's Pacific Gardens Mission shelter in South Loop

Empowering Change: I Am A Gentleman Provides New Wardrobes to Pacific Gardens Mission Residents in Chicago’s South Loop

CHICAGO (WLS) — An early dose of holiday cheer arrived for over…
split image of victims in the brown and mit shootings

Authorities Identify Suspect in Brown University Incident; Possible Link to MIT Homicide Explored

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Authorities in New England have pinpointed a suspect in…
Who was Nuno Loureiro? MIT professor gunned down in apartment near university

Tragic Incident: MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro Fatally Shot in Nearby Apartment

A tragic incident has shaken the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)…
Minneapolis police chief blasts ICE after agent seen dragging woman through street, kneeling on her back

Minneapolis Police Chief Condemns ICE’s Excessive Force: Shocking Footage Sparks Outrage

The police chief of Minneapolis has strongly criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement…
'My dad is dead': Slain Jacksonville musician's family demands arrest in road rage shooting

Family of Jacksonville Musician Killed in Road Rage Incident Urges Authorities to Make an Arrest

The family of Joe Starkey, a well-known musician from Jacksonville, has broken…
NAS Jacksonville sailor arrested after two women killed at Clay County home

Shocking Tragedy at NAS Jacksonville: Sailor Arrested in Double Homicide Case

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office has reported the arrest of Taylor Lomax,…
Who is Brown police chief Rodney Chatman? School's public safety department placed heavy emphasis on DEI

Meet Rodney Chatman: The Brown University Police Chief Championing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The investigation into the tragic mass shooting at Brown University that claimed…
Israel hits Hezbollah targets in Lebanon ahead of deadline to disarm terror group

Israel Strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon as Disarmament Deadline Looms

In a significant escalation, Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting southern…
Drake Powell’s early exit compounds offensive woes in Nets’ 106-95 loss to Heat

Brooklyn Nets Struggle Intensify as Drake Powell’s Injury Exacerbates Offensive Setbacks in 106-95 Defeat to Miami Heat

Despite Michael Porter Jr.’s lackluster shooting performance, hitting just 10 of his…
'Person of Interest' Identified in Brown University Shooting Investigation

Key Suspect Emerges in Brown University Shooting Case

The investigation into the recent shooting at Brown University has identified a…
Road rage shooting in Clay County leaves 18-year-old injured; man arrested

Clay County Road Rage Incident: Teen Wounded, Suspect in Custody

A 62-year-old man named Ruben Rodriguez is currently facing three charges of…
Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente identified as Brown University and MIT shooting suspect, found dead

Suspect in Brown University and MIT Shootings, Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, Found Deceased

In a shocking turn of events, law enforcement authorities have linked the…