The whistleblower, an ex-Facebook product manager allegedly said that Facebook recognizes it’s all apps cause far-reaching harm to different age groups and areas, but it deliberately ignores these problems for profit gains.
Frances Haugen (ex-Facebook product manager), disclosed various confidential documents to the Wall Street Journal. That not only damaged the social network company’s public image but also caused it financial damage, lawmakers said that congressional actions are required to limit the firm from causing further damages to society.
She state in a testament on hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation that Facebook’s all products damage children, strengthen disunion and deteriorate our democracy.
The social networking company’s leadership is well aware of the fact of making Facebook and Instagram more secure, but they won’t execute the needed changes, because they need to put their astrophysical revenues before people,”.
Whistleblower Says Facebook Cause Harms to Young Children & Stoke Division
She further added, The Company’s choices are devastating for our children, for our public security, for our confidentiality, and our democracy. And for this reason, we must ask Facebook to make the required changes. And that Facebook knows, Instagram algorithms are exposing young users to anorexia content.
Harmful effects of Instagram on young girls, according to Facebook’s internal studies
Haugen leaked the outcomes of the internal studies conducted for Facebook’s internal studies over the past three years confirmed that Instagram is damaging to youths, particularly young girls.
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Researches done on Instagram revealed that 32% of girls told that when they feel bad about their bodies’ shapes, consuming Instagram content makes them feel even worse.
The slide presentation appraised by the Wall Street Journal also revealed and concluded that comparisons on Instagram can change how young women or teenagers view (self-image) and define themselves.
A slide from the leaked presentation (based on the company’s internal study done in 2019) elucidated that ‘We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.
“Teens blame Instagram for upsurges in the amount of anxiety and depression,” described another slide. “This response was voluntary and constant across all groups.”
Haugen alleged Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO) that there is no one presently holding Mark answerable but himself (noticing he has most of the company’s shares). She also added that liability halts with Mark, on any harms produced by the company’s extensive app kingdom.
During her testament, Facebook alleged Haugen “did not work on child safety or Instagram or research these topics and has no thorough understanding of the issue from her work at Facebook.”
“As she just said under vow, ‘I don’t work on Whistleblower says Facebook apps ‘harm children, stoke division’.
Moreover, Facebook has rejected Haugen’s statements, by saying that the company has paid considerable sums of money for safety and various other measures.
With the hearing enfolded, Facebook released a final refutation and calls for Congress ‘to act’.
Also added that the social networking company has condemned Haugen as an ex-employee that “worked for the Facebook for less than two years, had no direct reports, and never joined a decision-point meeting”.
Their response ends with a call to legislators to work harder to legalize the internet.
“We agree on one thing; it’s time to begin to create stand rules for the internet. Instead of expecting the industry to make societal decisions that belong to legislators, it is time for Congress to act.”
Key Points:
- Whistleblower Frances Haugen, Facebook’s ex-product manager
- She said on the hearing “Facebook’s leaders recognize how to make their products safer but won’t, they have put their immense profits before people”.
- Facebook has rejected Haugen’s statements, by saying that the company has spent substantial amounts of money on safety measures.
- This highly awaited testimony came a day after a separate Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp outage affected billions of users worldwide.
