strict ordinance of societal medium come along to be on the circuit card following Facebook whistleblowerFrances Haugen ’s testimonyon Tuesday , October 5 before the US Senate Sub - Committee on Consumer Protection , Product Safety , and Data Security . This is part of the Commerce , Science , and Transportation Committee .
This is the latest in many high - profile earreach focusing on the so - called giant of the web – such as Facebook , Google , and Amazon – about their practices , their monopolies , and how these are involve the eudaimonia of people and societies .
In the three - hour hearing , Haugen raised several period that researcher and activists have raise against the societal - media giant , admit vexation regarding seclusion , misinformation , and the genial well - being of its usersespecially baby . The fact that just12 people generate two - thirdsof anti - vaccination substance on Facebook , was a particularly alarming composition of research .
Haugen stated that she joined Facebook in 2019 after someone closemouthed to her became radicalize online . She worked as the lead product manager for Civic Misinformation and by and by on Counter - Espionage . And she reports that if there were conflicts between Facebook ’s profits and user safety , the company consistently took the side of the profits .
“ The result has been a scheme that amplify division , extremism , and polarization — and undermining company around the world . In some compositor’s case , this dangerous on-line talk has lead to actual violence that harms and even kills people , ” Haugen say inher written testimony .
“ In other cases , their profit optimizing motorcar is generating ego - injury and self - hatred — peculiarly for vulnerable group , like teenage girlfriend . These problem have been confirmed repeatedly by Facebook ’s own internal research . This is not simply a affair of some social media user being wild or fluid . Facebook became a $ 1 trillion company by paying for its profits with our safe , including the safety of our tyke . And that is unacceptable . ”
In her testimonial , Haugen delivered many actionable proffer on way that the many problems can be break up but she states that it ’s not a case of merely update live laws . It is creating raw unity that will make Facebook accountable . Among the proposition , there ’s the need to make Facebook more transparent so that its wallop can be fairly assessed .
Also practical ones such as convert the news provender to chronological posts instead of order content via their algorithm , which has been criticise for rewarding polarizing and deceptive content . point were also elicit detailing that not enough focus is given to misinformation in languages other than English .
“ Congress will be taking activity . We will not allow your company to harm our nipper and our families and our democracy , any longer , ” Senator Ed Markey said during the listening .
Facebook is not stimulate the effective week , going offline completelyon Monday . But appear to have drive this on its chin . Despite dissent with most of Haugen ’s testimony , Facebook agrees that Congress must act . Lena Pietsch , the director for Policy Communications said in astatement : “ Despite all this , we hold on one thing ; it ’s clock time to begin to create received rules for the internet . ” She tally : “ It ’s been 25 class since the rules for the net have been updated , and instead of expecting the diligence to make societal decisions that belong to to legislators , it is metre for Congress to act . ”
[ H / T : Financial Times , Reuters ]
