House Commerce Presses Meta About ‘Vast Network’ of Pedophilic Content

The House Commerce Committee is scheduling briefings with Meta to understand how Instagram algorithms allegedly drive users to a “vast network of pedophilic content,” Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and ranking member Frank Pallone wrote the company Wednesday. Staff is meeting with researchers from Stanford and the University of Massachusetts to understand who uncovered the activity, they said, citing Wall Street Journal reports. 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,” they said. “It is clear these companies cannot be trusted to protect children on their platforms.” The company didn’t comment.