Parents Unite Against Online Harms: Protest Outside Meta’s NYC Office After Losing Children

In a poignant display of grief and determination, families affected by online harm are urging social media giants like Meta to prioritize children’s online safety. Despite recent legislative setbacks, these parents are not backing down and are demanding accountability and action.

Families Gather to Honor Victims of Online Harms

On Thursday, April 24, 2025, 45 families mourning children lost to online dangers gathered outside Meta’s Manhattan office. They held a vigil to pay tribute to their loved ones and to call for significant changes within the social media landscape.

• Families dressed in white, holding roses and signs that read, “Meta profits, kids pay the price.”
• Each family brought framed photos of their deceased children, creating a stark contrast against the sunny spring day.

Voices of Grief and Advocacy

Sarah Gardner, CEO of the child safety advocacy group Heat Initiative, emphasized that these families have often been ignored by tech companies when seeking help. “They’ve all been ignored by the tech companies when they tried to reach out to them,” she stated in an interview with TechCrunch.

One of the grieving mothers, Perla Mendoza, shared her heart-wrenching story. Her son tragically died from fentanyl poisoning after purchasing drugs via Snapchat. She has since filed a lawsuit against the platform for failing to prevent illegal drug sales. Mendoza highlighted the interconnected nature of these platforms, stating, “His drug dealer was selling on Facebook, too.”

Whistleblower Revelations and Community Outcry

The event coincided with recent testimony from whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, who revealed that Meta has been targeting teenagers aged 13 to 17 with ads during vulnerable moments. This follows the findings from The Wall Street Journal which exposed Meta’s awareness of Instagram’s detrimental effects on young girls’ mental health.

Demands for Change from Meta

During the vigil, organizers, including ParentsTogether Action and Design It for Us, presented an open letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, bearing over 10,000 signatures. The letter outlines crucial demands:

• End promotion of dangerous content to children.
• Enhance protections against sexual predators on Meta platforms.
• Implement transparent resolutions for reports of harmful content.

As the letter was placed among bouquets of roses at the protest site, the crowd chanted for a future where children are respected online.

Meta’s Recent Efforts and Ongoing Concerns

Over the past year, Meta has introduced various measures aimed at improving safety for children and teens. These include:

• Collaboration with law enforcement to combat child exploitation.
• Launch of Teen Accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger to limit contact with unknown users.
• Use of AI technology to detect and address age misrepresentation on the platform.

Sophie Vogel, a Meta spokesperson, stated, “We know parents are concerned about their teens’ having unsafe or inappropriate experiences online.” However, Gardner argues that these measures fall short. She noted, “Despite Meta’s stricter messaging policies, adults can still reach out to kids through comments.”

The Fight for Legislative Change

The vigil also highlighted the ongoing struggle against the Kids Online Safety Act. This bipartisan bill aimed to introduce regulations to protect children from the mental health risks associated with social media. Unfortunately, it failed to pass due to opposition from Meta and its lobbying efforts.

As Gardner put it, “Today’s event is to show that parents are upset, and it’s not just those who have lost children. Other Americans are awakening to the reality that they don’t want Mark Zuckerberg making decisions about their child’s online safety.”

For more information on online safety and advocacy, visit NetSmartz, a resource dedicated to educating families about online risks.