A pair of former Meta researchers told a U.S. Senate hearing that children wearing virtual reality headsets are being groomed, harassed, and sexually exploited inside so-called social VR spaces — testimony that should alarm every parent and elected official. These whistleblowers, Cayce Savage and Jason Sattizahn, described a pattern of underage users encountering explicit sexual content and predators while the company allegedly downplayed the problem.
The details are chilling: witnesses reported children being solicited for nude photos, exposed to simulated sexual acts, and surrounded by audio and visual harassment that feels real because VR tricks the brain into believing it’s happening. Researchers said avatars operated by strangers can corner and simulate touching minors, and that children have watched pornography and been invited into adult-only virtual spaces.
Those same whistleblowers accused Meta of suppressing and even deleting internal research that documented these harms, allegedly to avoid bad publicity and regulatory scrutiny. If true, this is not a mere corporate mistake — it is a moral failure by executives who put growth and engagement ahead of kids’ safety.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pressed the company and called for stronger protections, with senators citing the need for legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act to force platforms to put children first. Republicans and Democrats alike should be united in demanding real transparency and accountability from Big Tech instead of accepting corporate excuses.
Meta has pushed back, saying it has approved numerous studies and implemented safety features, but those denials ring hollow beside the whistleblowers’ sworn testimony and internal documents. When a tech giant has billions at stake, reassurances mean little unless companies open their books, release their research, and let independent investigators verify their claims.
This fight is about more than one company — it’s about whether America will allow profit-driven Silicon Valley behemoths to raise our children in virtual worlds where predators can hide behind avatars. Parents must act now: limit or ban children’s access to immersive headsets, demand age verification and stronger parental controls, and push Congress and state attorneys general to investigate and, if necessary, prosecute those who put kids at risk. The time for excuses is over; lawmakers should pass real protections and hold Big Tech accountable for the safety of the next generation.
