White House secures Instagram and YouTube heads to testify instead of CEOs at Senate hearing

The White House intervened to shield Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s chief executive from a Senate hearing. Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley agreed to a substitution arrangement. The heads of Instagram and YouTube will appear in place of their parent company CEOs. The hearing is tentatively scheduled for next month. Four sources familiar with the plan confirmed the arrangement. Lawmakers had sought direct testimony from the top executives. The substitution reflects the administration’s effort to manage the inquiry. Critics argue the move may limit accountability for the tech firms.