Hawkeye Reporter

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) addressed the issue of child protection on social media platforms during a subcommittee hearing focused on Meta’s practices. The session included testimony from two former Meta employees who acted as whistleblowers, raising concerns about the company’s approach to safeguarding children online.

Grassley emphasized his ongoing support for whistleblowers in both government and private sectors. He stated, “During my time in the Senate, I’ve always fought for whistleblowers, both in the government as well as in the private sector.” He highlighted his legislative work updating laws such as the False Claims Act and supporting programs like the IRS whistleblower initiative. According to Grassley, these individuals play a crucial role in exposing fraud and abuse across various industries.

Recently, Grassley joined Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who lead the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, in seeking answers from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg regarding targeted advertising aimed at teenagers and alleged violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Their letter questioned whether Meta had collected personal data from children under 13 without parental consent.

Grassley recounted previous oversight efforts involving other technology companies. He referred to a September 2022 hearing where a Twitter whistleblower disclosed that user data may have been exposed to foreign intelligence agencies including China—a situation that prompted FBI notification to Twitter about potential infiltration by Chinese agents.

The senator also expressed concern over reported attempts by tech firms to silence internal critics. “My oversight has also shown that these tech companies look to silence whistleblowers,” he said. Grassley mentioned having written letters to OpenAI and Meta about this issue.

In response to these challenges, Grassley introduced bipartisan legislation designed to protect whistleblowers within the Artificial Intelligence industry.

Specific cases discussed at the hearing included allegations that Jason Sattizahan, a former Meta employee, faced retaliation after raising concerns about COPPA compliance. Despite receiving positive performance reviews during his six-year tenure at Meta—including one stating he “exceeds expectations” in March 2023—Sattizahan was dismissed six months after voicing legal compliance issues internally.

Another former employee, Ms. Savage, reportedly received instructions from Meta’s legal team cautioning her not to create risk for the company when she raised similar concerns.

Grassley commented on how whistleblowers are often marginalized: “I often say that whistleblowers are treated like skunks at a picnic. It appears our witnesses – as well as the other whistleblowers who’ve approached me – have unfortunately been treated like those skunks.”

He concluded by thanking those who testified: “We’ve been working on this for a long time … so I thank you folks for your courage and bravery in coming forward to Congress. I and my colleagues will continue our investigation.”