News

Zuckerberg Forced To Apologise To US Parents Over Online Sexual Exploitation

Published

2 years ago

February 2, 2024

Editor

The chief executive officer of Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg was forced to apologise to the parents of children who killed themselves after being subjected to online sexual exploitation.

Zuckerberg made the apologies at the United States Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the safety of children online on Wednesday.

“It’s terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered,” Zuckerberg said to the parents behind him at the request of Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri.

“And this is why we invest so much and are going to continue doing industry-leading efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer.”

The CEOs of the five major social media companies were grilled by the US senators.

Dozens of mourning parents attended Wednesday’s Senate judiciary committee hearing, Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis, many of them holding photographs of the children who died after falling prey to abusers on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Executives in attendance were Meta CEO Zuckerberg, Snap CEO Spiegel, X (formerly Twitter) CEO Linda Yaccarino, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and Discord CEO Jason Citron.

Members of Congress questioned them for four hours, in exchanges that became heated on several occasions.

At the beginning of the hearing, each CEO gave a speech that outlined their position on their company’s competence in protecting children online.

Zuckerberg drew criticism from the parents for using his opening remarks to deny any relationship between social media usage and declines in mental health.

“The existing body of scientific work has not shown a causal link between using social media and young people having worse mental health,” Zuckerberg told the crowded room.

Lori Schott, a bereaved mother from Colorado, said she cried when she heard Zuckerberg’s comments.

“They lack a moral compass; it is profits over the kids. Where there’s money, there’s greed,” she said.

Schott’s daughter Annalee was 18 when she died by suicide. According to Schott, Analee’s mental health deteriorated after consuming content on depression, anxiety and suicide that was recommended to her on TikTok and Instagram.

“She even saw a live suicide on the ‘For You’ page on TikTok. You can’t unsee that. It ate at her internally,” said Schott.

In the culmination of a tense exchange, Josh Hawley, the Republican senator, invited Zuckerberg to apologise to the parents of victims in the audience, many of whom held photos of children they say died or suffered because of his platform. Zuckerberg stood up to face the families and offered his condolences.

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

9 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

9 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.