On Thursday, families who have lost children to online harms gathered outside Meta’s office in Manhattan, holding a solemn vigil to demand greater accountability from social media companies. Forty-five families participated in the event, each mourning the loss of a child to tragedies ranging from sextortion to cyberbullying, and underscoring their belief that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat bear significant responsibility.
Dressed in symbolic white clothing, protesters carried roses and framed photographs of their deceased children. Many displayed signs with powerful messages, such as “Meta profits, kids pay the price,” creating a stark contrast with the clear skies and spring weather. At the heart of this emotional gathering was a sense of frustration toward tech companies accused of ignoring parents’ pleas for help and neglecting to properly safeguard their young users from harmful online experiences.
Sarah Gardner, CEO of the children’s safety advocacy group Heat Initiative, said these families have in common the experience of being repeatedly disregarded by social media giants. Gardner highlighted that even though Meta has recently announced several safety measures aimed at protecting younger users, including Teen Accounts designed for Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook, considerable dangers remain.
One mother, Perla Mendoza, recounted how her son lost his life after overdosing on fentanyl-laced drugs purchased through Snapchat. Despite reporting the dealer to Snap, Mendoza says the company took eight months to act, and noted that the dealer was simultaneously active on Facebook and Instagram. Mendoza and other families have initiated lawsuits, alleging inadequate responses from tech platforms that facilitated dangerous scenarios.
Organizers, including advocacy groups ParentsTogether Action and Design it For Us, delivered an open letter addressed directly to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Filled with more than 10,000 signatures, the letter strongly urges Meta to cease promoting harmful content—including hate speech, racism, and imagery involving disordered eating—to younger users, to take decisive action against predators and other malicious actors targeting children through the company’s platforms, and to ensure timely and transparent resolutions to reported issues.
During the vigil, Gardner placed the letter atop a pile of roses in a symbolic act while demonstrators chanted for respect and safety for children online. This protest followed recent revelations from whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, who testified that Meta deliberately targeted vulnerable teenagers with advertisements tailored to emotional states, including sadness and depression. Gardner further criticized Meta’s decision to shift toward less stringent fact-checking policies, claiming the company appeared intent on avoiding responsibility rather than assuming more.
While Meta spokesperson Sophie Vogel highlighted the company’s updated protections and cited surveys suggesting parents largely approve of these features, Gardner argued that these measures fall short in practice. Gardner described gaps in policy allowing adults to exploit comment sections and approach minors directly, a problem that persists unchecked by the existing safeguards.
Meta and other tech giants drew heavy criticism last year after lobbying efforts helped quash the Kids Online Safety Act, a proposed bipartisan bill aiming at imposing stricter regulations on social media companies to tackle addiction and mental health deterioration among youths. Despite broad congressional support, the legislation ultimately failed, prompting renewed dismay among child safety advocates. Gardner insisted that parents remain deeply unsettled by the idea of corporate executives such as Zuckerberg having unchecked authority to determine standards of online protection for children.
Thursday’s event sent a stark message to Meta and its counterparts across the tech industry: grieving parents and families refuse to see their losses go unanswered, and will continue striving to ensure children enjoy the safety, protection, and respect they deserve online.
