Facebook Whistleblower Reveals Identity, Testifies on Tuesday
October 4, 2021—Francis Haugen, a former Facebook employee who gave a series of interviews and internal documents to the Wall Street Journal about the company’s practices, is seeking whistleblower protection from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the paper reported on Sunday.As the company faces perhaps its highest level of criticism yet since the disclosures released around the 2016 U.S. election, Facebook suffered a worldwide outage on Monday along with its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms.
As of Monday afternoon, it was not clear what caused the massive outage.
Facebook Exposed
Haugen exposed explosive information about the social media giant. Her interviews on WSJ and CBS News revealed shocking details about how Facebook repeatedly prioritized “growth over safety” and is “tearing our societies apart.”
On Sunday, she revealed her identity during a televised interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes.Impact on Global Societies
Furthermore, Haugen accused the company of inciting violence around the world and contributing to the breakdown of civic society.
“The version of Facebook that exists today is tearing our societies apart and causing ethnic violence around the world,” Haugen said. In an interview with CBS, she specifically pointed to a change in the company’s algorithm in 2018 as well as the company’s decision to scrap the firm’s Civic Integrity Office. “It’s easier to inspire people to anger than it is other emotions.”
Tomorrow, she is scheduled to testify before the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security.
‘Stunning Allegations’
Tuesday’s hearing is expected to focus on consumer protections and the company’s research into Instagram’s effect on young users. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal thanked the data scientist in advance of her testimony.“This whistleblower’s testimony will be critical to understanding what Facebook knew about its platforms’ toxic effects on young users, when they knew it, and what they did about it,” Sen. Blumenthal said. “I look forward to a discussion of the wide range of stunning allegations that have recently been brought to light about the concerning experiences young people are having on these apps.”
The senators are holding a series of hearings to collect information to help lawmakers develop legislation on social media. According to Blumenthal, legislation is needed because Facebook has shown “that it is incapable of holding itself accountable.”
Internal Documents Expose Policies
Critics say Facebook has compromised the privacy and safety of its users multiple times in the past. Despite congressional hearings and documents exposing the flaws that surround the company’s policies, it seems they have produced little effect.
A series of these internal documents, including research reports, online employee discussions and drafts of presentations to senior management, form the crux of an exclusive series by the WSJ titled The Facebook Files.In her interview with the WSJ, Haugen said that the documents proved that Facebook used algorithms to prioritize profits over the safety and welfare of its users, including teenagers and people living in politically-unstable countries.
Severe Backlash
The social media giant faces severe backlash in the aftermath of the disclosures. The company scrapped a plan to develop an Instagram app specifically for children.
At a Senate subcommittee hearing held last Thursday, Facebook’s Global Head of Safety Antigone Davis told lawmakers that Facebook would not retaliate against the whistleblower for her disclosures to the Senate.
These shocking revelations have brought into question the safety and integrity surrounding big tech, its use by consumers and worthiness for investors.To read the original article on the Wall Street Journal, go here. To see the televised interview from Sunday, go to CBS.
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