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The tech boss made the admission in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee — a body in the U.S. Congress that oversees the federal court system and law enforcement.

The inquiry will examine a raft of issues including the mental health impact of social media algorithms and the spread of illegal content online.

Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, said both companies could face fines if they fail to comply.

Separately, Meta also announced last month it’s taking steps to limit the reach of “political” content on its platforms.

Following pressure from Senator Josh Hawley (Republican), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologised to the families of victims of abuse on its platforms.

Meta’s ad-free subscription was launched in response to laws around user data collection and consent in the European Union.

Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, is facing legal action from attorneys general in 41 U.S. states and D.C.