Tech giants

Facebook, Twitter and Google face questions from US senators

At present, the companies cannot be sued over what their users post online, or the decisions they make over what to leave up and take down.

Some politicians have raised concerns this "sweeping immunity" encourages bad behaviour.

But the chief executives say they need the law to be able to moderate content.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Google's Sundar Pichai were summoned before the Senate after both Democrats and Republicans agreed to call them in for questioning.

'A loophole'

Tech giants 'failing' to protect children

Facebook, Google, Apple, BT and Microsoft will all give evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse over the next 10 days.

Alexis Jay, who chairs the inquiry, said it would consider "the adequacy of the response of the internet industry" to the online facilitation of abuse.

The hearing opened earlier on Monday.

Opening the proceedings, legal counsel Jacqueline Carey outlined some harrowing examples of child grooming online and its devastating impact on their lives.

She also told the inquiry: