Durbin Statement On Meta Paying Landmark Settlement Over Child Safety Concerns

Durbin Statement On Meta Paying Landmark Settlement Over Child Safety Concerns

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding Meta reaching a landmark settlement with attorneys general from 52 U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia, agreeing to pay more than $17 billion in penalties and make major changes to its products, Facebook and Instagram, over claims it endangers children with addictive social media platforms:

"Time and time again, we have heard how Meta, one of the world's biggest companies, consistently chooses profits and growth over people and safety.

"This needs to stop. While this is a landmark settlement, Congress still needs to step up and regulate Big Tech. This is one of the few issues where Congress universally agrees on a bipartisan basis that we should act, and there are a number of bipartisan bills ready for floor consideration by both the House and the Senate. I stand ready to work with my colleagues to hold Big Tech accountable."

Durbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts.

On January 31, 2024, while Durbin was serving as Chair, the Committee held a hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.

Durbin and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) joined forces to reintroduce the bipartisan STOP CSAM Act, which would combat online child sexual abuse material. The bill passed the Judiciary Committee unanimously and awaits action on the Senate floor.

In addition, Durbin's bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024 and again in January 2026. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit "deepfake" images and videos. The bill awaits consideration by the House.

Durbin also introduced the Sunset Section 230 Act with the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), which would repeal Section 230 two years after the date of enactment so that those harmed online can bring legal action against the companies that caused the harm. The bill awaits consideration by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

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