WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Congress grilled the CEOs from several of the world’s biggest social media platforms Wednesday about their efforts to make their services after for children.

Mark Zuckerberg, who leads Facebook and Instagram’s parent company Meta, appeared in Washington, alongside other tech CEOs. During a line of questioning from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Zuckerberg turned to a crowd of advocates and family members of people who say their children were exploited on social media and apologized.

He promised an “industry-leading effort” to prevent similar incidents from happening to other families.

The hearing room fell silent shortly before lawmakers started the session as those same people Zuckerberg eventually apologized to held up photos of their loved ones behind where the CEOs sat.

Also testifying were TikTok CEO Shou Chew; X (formerly known as Twitter) CEO Linda Yaccarino; Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel; and Discord CEO Jason Citron. All appeared as witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about protecting children on their respective platforms.

The hearing opened with recorded testimonies from kids and parents who said they or their children were exploited on social media.

“Big tech failed to protect me from online sexual exploitation,” one child said in the video.

“We need Congress to do something for our children and protect them,” a parent said.

In opening statements, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the Judiciary panel, referenced parents and children who attended holding photos of their loved ones.

“To all the victims who came and showed us photos of your loved ones don’t quit, you’re making a difference. Hopefully, we can take your pain and turn it into something positive,” he said.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who chairs the committee, said online child sexual exploitation is “a crisis in America.” He continued by stating executives in attendance represent tech companies that are “responsible for many of the dangers our children face online.” 

“Their design choices, their failures to adequately invest in trust and safety, their constant pursuit of engagement and profit over basic safety of all put our kids and grandkids at risk,” he said.

Graham echoed Durbin’s sentiments and said he’s prepared to work with Democrats to solve the issue.

“After years of working on this issue with you and others, I’ve come to conclude the following: social media companies as they’re currently designed and operate are dangerous products,” Graham said.

He also told the executives their platforms have enriched lives but that it is time to deal with “the dark side.”

Advocates claim social media has proven to be a breeding ground for potential harm to young users, including child sexual exploitation, trafficking, depression and suicide risks.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have blasted social media companies for what some call a “plague of online child sexual exploitation” on apps.

Durbin called for legislation to target Section 230, a law exempting social media firms from legal liability for content and actively on their platforms.

“Let this hearing be a call to action we need to get kids online safety legislation to the president’s desk,” Durbin said.

During Wednesday’s hearing, lawmakers pressed them to go beyond the safety tools they’re currently using to protect children.

Beginning with Citron, the executives touted existing safety tools on their platforms and the work they’ve done with nonprofits and law enforcement to protect minors.

Snapchat had broken ranks ahead of the hearing and began backing a federal bill that would create a legal liability for apps and social platforms that recommend harmful content to minors. Spiegel reiterated the company’s support on Wednesday and asked the industry to back the bill.

Meta has proposed federal legislation advocating for app stores to verify users’ age and enforce a minimum age restriction. Meta also unveiled new youth safety efforts that include hiding “age-inappropriate content.” Additionally, Snapchat also expanded its parental oversight tool as part of efforts to address these issues.

Chew said TikTok is vigilant about enforcing its policy barring children under 13 from using the app. Yaccarino said X, formerly known as Twitter, doesn’t cater to children.

“We do not have a line of business dedicated to children,” Yaccarino said. She said the company will also support Stop CSAM Act, a federal bill that make it easier for victims of child exploitation to sue tech companies.

On Wednesday, Zuckerberg touted Meta’s existing tools and features designed to help parents and teens.

Despite these actions, advocates and parents like Kristin Bride, whose 16-year-old son died by suicide after being cyberbullied online, said they find companies’ responses insufficient.

“We found out through the community that Carson had been cyberbullied over an anonymous app Yolo that had been integrated into Snapchat. He had received hundreds of negative harassing, sexually explicit messages over this app,” Bride said. “Do I just accept this and cry in bed all day? Or do I begin to fight back? And I chose to fight back and that was the beginning of my advocacy work.”

Bride, along with some members of Congress, have advocated for the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill that has been under development for several years. During Wednesday’s hearing, it was asked whether these CEOs would publicly support this legislation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.