Democratic senator bewilderingly asks Facebook executive to 'commit to ending Finsta'

Another major tech hearing brought more odd questions from lawmakers.
Antigone Davis, Facebook's global head of safety, was grilled during a congressional hearing Thursday following a series of bombshell reports from The Wall Street Journal, including one alleging that Facebook has been aware that Instagram is "toxic" for teen girls. But at one point during the hearing, Davis appeared confused by a line of questioning by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who asked her about "Finstas," a slang term for a "fake," private Instagram account. While expressing concern about the idea of kids having secret Instagram accounts, he seemed to suggest these are actually official products made by Facebook.
"Finstas are not something that we built," Davis said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Blumenthal returned to this line of questioning later in the hearing, asking near the very end of it, "Will you commit to ending Finsta?" Davis told him that "we don't actually do Finsta," reiterating that this term simply refers to people setting up secretive Instagram accounts that are more private than their main ones, often as to only be accessible by a smaller circle of friends.
"Well, Finsta is one of your products or services," Blumenthal said.
Davis again responded that Finsta is just "slang for a type of account," and Blumenthal asked if she would then commit to ending "that type of account." The Facebook executive said she was still confused about "exactly what you're asking," though, and Blumenthal ultimately expressed dissatisfaction with the whole exchange and her response before the hearing moved on. Watch the bizarre back-and-forth below.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The party bringing Trump-style populism to Japan
Under The Radar Far-right party is ‘Rise of Sanseito is ‘shattering’ the belief that Japan is ‘immune’ to populism’ the belief that Japan is ‘immune’ to populism
-
Southern barbecue: This year’s top three
Feature A weekend-only restaurant, a 90-year-old pitmaster, and more
-
Film reviews: Anemone and The Smashing Machine
Feature A recluse receives an unwelcome guest and a pioneering UFC fighter battles addiction
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US