Washington, Feb 27 (NationPress) A prominent Republican senator has taken aim at Meta and Apple, accusing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg of “denial and deceit” during a pivotal child safety trial and claiming that Apple News has “systematically suppressed” conservative outlets in favor of liberal ones.

Senator Marsha Blackburn addressed the Senate, referencing new court documents from a California trial that investigates whether social media platforms are harmful to young users.

“Recent documents released last week indicate that nearly 1 in 5 adolescents have encountered unwanted ‘nudity or sexual images on Instagram,’” she stated. “That’s just one alarming finding from a significant trial in California focused on the detrimental effects of social media on American youth.”

She characterized these revelations as exceedingly concerning.

“It’s shocking what these companies have done. Yet, when he testified last week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg continued to deny the issue—while being just a few feet away from parents who have tragically lost their children due to social media-related harms,” she remarked.

“Zuckerberg once again claimed there’s no association between youth social media usage and declining mental health, even though Meta’s own research contradicts this.”

In a follow-up statement after Zuckerberg's testimony before a jury in Los Angeles, Blackburn commented: “As expected, Zuckerberg employed his usual tactics of denial and deceit, all while sitting near grieving parents who lost their children due to the harm caused by his platforms.”

She noted that “a staggering 86 percent of Americans believe that Big Tech should be held accountable for their role in the social media addiction crisis.”

“These companies are mimicking the strategies of Big Tobacco from decades past by attempting to keep children addicted to products that are harmful. It’s time for lawmakers to listen to the American public and ensure that social media platforms are designed with safety in mind for our children and future generations,” Blackburn added.

Additionally, Blackburn sent a letter on February 19 to Apple CEO Tim Cook expressing her concerns regarding the perceived bias in Apple News.

In her correspondence, she alleged that Apple News has “systematically suppressed” news from conservative sources while promoting articles from left-leaning outlets.

“According to the Media Research Center (MRC), which evaluated over 600 stories highlighted by Apple News during morning time slots from January 1 to January 31, a remarkable 440 of these were from left-leaning sources, with zero stories from right-leaning outlets,” she asserted.

She pointed out that Americans are not receiving a “full scope of perspectives” available.

The letter also referenced a warning from the Federal Trade Commission that stated “the systematic suppression of viewpoints—regardless of political affiliation—could breach consumer protection regulations.”

“Apple News comes pre-installed on Apple devices and was reportedly ranked as the most popular news app in the United States, Canada, and Australia this January,” Blackburn wrote. “You have an obligation to provide access to information without favoritism towards any political party.”

The Los Angeles trial signifies one of the most closely monitored legal battles between grieving families and a social media corporation concerning accusations of addictive design and harm to youth.

This case has heightened the urgency for lawmakers to reconsider proposals that would enforce a statutory “duty of care” on platforms catering to minors.