A US Senator Demanded That Facebook Ban 'Finsta' Accounts & Even A Staffer Cringed

Anyone who's ever had to explain something tech-related to a parent or grandparent can likely relate to a viral video about "Finsta" accounts that's making the rounds right now.

At a recent Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing in the States, Connecticut's Senator Richard Blumenthal spoke to a Facebook executive about the safety of social media for young people, but his question on fake Instagram accounts was quickly roasted online.

In a video posted by Buzzfeed's Eric Morrow, Blumenthal asks Antigone Davis, Facebook's global head of safety, if her company will "commit to ending Finsta."

"Senator again let me explain, we don't actually, we don't actually do Finsta," Davis said, explaining that the term "Finsta" refers to a fake Instagram, often with stricter privacy settings.

"OK, will you end that type of account?" Blumenthal asked, undaunted.

The clip has blown up online, being viewed millions of times on Twitter and TikTok — even alternate angles showing staffers cringing at the phrasing of the question.

However, before you dunk too hard, Twitter user Zamaan Qureshi wrote that Blumenthal had already explained that he knew what Finstas were earlier on in the committee and instead was concerned about kids having accounts their parents don't know about.

Either way, there's no doubt that this question will go down in history as one of the best tech gaffs of all time.