The exposé by Facebook‘s recent whistleblower, Frances Haugen, reached a wider audience as she revealed her identity on the acclaimed news program 60 Minutes. Haugen opened up about filing numerous complaints against Facebook with the SEC, suggesting that the tech giant deliberately deceived investors.
In a revealing report by 60 Minutes, it was disclosed that Haugen’s legal team had lodged “at least eight complaints” with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month. Haugen has provided The Wall Street Journal with documents asserting that Facebook was dishonest about its efforts to stem the tide of hate speech and violence on its platform.
Having been recruited for bolstering the protection against electoral disinformation on Facebook, Haugen claims the corporation prioritized its own welfare and financial gain over the public interest. “The company continually chose to maximize profitability at the expense of safety,” Haugen stated in her interview. “Facebook often resolved their dilemmas by favoring their own interests, such as earning greater profits.”
Accusations fly against Facebook for not curbing the rise of conspiracy theories and incitements of governmental uprising.
Haugen pins the blame on Facebook for disassembling the civic integrity unit prematurely, a move she believes led to the infamous Capitol riots on January 6, incited by followers of then-President Donald Trump. “That was the instance I realized I could no longer trust their commitment to prevent harm,” she expressed.
In the wake of the interview’s publicity, Facebook officials went on the defensive. Nick Clegg, Vice President of Global Affairs at Facebook, went on CNN, describing the allegations as “nonsensical.”
An internal memo distributed prior to the 60 Minutes segment featured Clegg countering that those involved in the Capitol assault were solely responsible, including politicians who instigated the crowd. He remarked, “The notion that Facebook significantly contributes to political polarization lacks factual basis.”
“We vouch for our public communications and await any inquiries from regulators about the safety efforts we carry out,” commented Lena Pietsch, Director of Policy Communications at Facebook, affirming the company’s readiness following the interview. “It is our priority to safeguard our community over our revenue,” she continued. “Ignoring the vast investments we make, including the 40,000 individuals dedicated to safety and over $13 billion invested since 2016.”
The tech behemoth has faced criticism for purportedly not stemming the flow of misleading tales and calls to insurgency within the government.
Haugen’s statements highlight the discrepancies in the narratives forwarded by the platform. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, has claimed that Facebook removes posts that can lead to offline harm. Contrarily, Haugen’s attorneys argue such claims mislead investors.
In a formal response, Facebook representative Andy Stone stated, “Our teams strive to achieve a balance between billions of people’s right to free expression and maintaining a safe, positive platform. We’ve made strides to curb misinformation and harmful content. To insinuate that we encourage negative content and take no action is untrue.”
Haugen, age 37, exited Facebook in May and during her final days combed through a multitude of documents. She unearthed evidence indicating that elites were flouting Facebook’s rules without consequence and that internal findings about the platform’s negative impact on young users’ mental health were ignored. She is slated to present her evidence before a Senate hearing on Tuesday, addressing the potential harms posed by Facebook.
Recently, Facebook halted its development plans for an Instagram iteration aimed at under-13s, known as Instagram Kids.
Haugen emphasized that Facebook’s blatant neglect in distinguishing factual information from falsehoods has resulted in a deluge of disinformation, especially in delicate societies, and has “directly caused fatalities.” She voiced her concern, “It’s an influence I fear will destabilize societies.”
