Whistleblower Frances Haugen has denounced the recent Facebook's Meta rebranding urging her former boss Mark Zuckerberg to step down. She has accused the company of yet again prioritising expansion over people's safety.

Whistleblower Frances Haugen denounces Facebook's Meta rebranding

Lawmakers on Tuesday grilled executives from YouTube, Snap and TikTok about mounting concerns that their platforms can harm children and teenagers.

A bipartisan group of senators expressed concerns that the companies’ software steered young people toward inappropriate posts, mishandled consumer data and did not do enough to spot dangerous content on their platforms. Lawmakers repeatedly said their staff had been able to find harmful content — including posts related to self-harm and pornography — inside the companies’ products, sometimes while logged in as a teenager.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., opened the hearing by accusing the companies of drawing young people further and further into their products.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hate-easiest-way-to-grow-on-facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugen-testifies-before-uk-parliament-423970">Hate easiest way to grow on Facebook: Whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies before UK parliament</a>

“Everything that you do is to add users, especially kids, and keep them on your apps for longer,” said Blumenthal, who leads the subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee holding the hearing.

The companies sent executives with political experience to answer the questions. TikTok was represented by Michael Beckerman, its head of public policy for the Americas who used to lead a top lobbying group for internet companies. Leslie Miller, YouTube’s vice president for government affairs and public policy and a former Democratic political aide, appeared on behalf of the streaming site. Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, sent Jennifer Stout, its vice president for global public policy and John Kerry’s former deputy chief of staff.

Two weeks ago, Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager who leaked thousands of pages of internal documents, told the committee how the company knew that its products made teenagers feel worse about themselves. The decision to invite executives from other companies reflects how the lawmakers’ concerns go beyond Facebook and its photo app, Instagram, to include other major platforms across the web.

The companies quickly tried to distance themselves from each other, while arguing they were already taking significant steps to protect child users.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-whistleblower-brings-campaign-to-europe-after-disclosures-424161">Facebook whistleblower brings campaign to Europe after disclosures</a>

Stout said that Snapchat was an “antidote to social media” and stressed the differences between Snapchat and Instagram. She said that her company’s app focused on connecting people who already knew each other in real life, rather than feeding them a constant stream of content from strangers. And she said it focused on privacy, making images and messages delete by default.

She also stressed that Snapchat moderates the public content it promotes more heavily than other social media companies. Human moderators review content from publishers before promoting it in Discover, the public section of Snapchat that contains news and entertainment, Stout said. Content on Spotlight, Snap’s creator program that promotes videos from its users, is reviewed by artificial intelligence before being distributed, and reviewed by human moderators before it can be watched by more than 25 users, Stout added.

Beckerman said that TikTok was different from other platforms that focus more on direct communication between users. “It’s about uplifting, entertaining content,” he said. “People love it.”

He said that policymakers should look at the systems that verify whether users were old enough to use a product, suggesting that legislation should include language on age verification “across apps.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/inside-the-big-facebook-leak-423804">Inside the big Facebook leak</a>

Lawmakers also hammered Beckerman about whether TikTok’s Chinese ownership could expose consumer data to Beijing. Critics have long argued that the company would be obligated to turn Americans’ data over to the Chinese government if asked.

“Access controls for our data is done by our US&nbsp;teams,” said Beckerman. “And as independent researchers, independent experts have pointed out, the data that TikTok has on the app is not of a national security importance and is of low sensitivity.”

Senators repeatedly tried to prod the companies to commit to more transparency for researchers to investigate the health and safety of their platforms as well as support for elements of potential privacy legislation.

Miller of YouTube refused to be pinned down in a series of exchanges with senators. When Blumenthal asked whether the companies would allow independent researchers access to algorithms, data sets and data privacy practices, Miller responded, “It would depend on the details, but we’re always looking to partner with experts in these important fields.”

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: How Facebook profits from hate

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-how-facebook-profits-from-hate-424259/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Blumenthal shot back that YouTube’s answer “indicates certainly a strong hesitancy if not resistance to providing access.”

Similarly, Miller seemed reluctant to commit to aspects of potential privacy legislation such as a proposed update to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Specifically, she waffled on whether YouTube would support a ban on targeted advertising for children or curbs on adding “likes” or comments on videos — even as Miller said that the company already did not permit such features on children’s content.

The companies frequently argued that they were already taking the kind of steps that could be required by laws in the future.

“We believe that regulation is necessary but given the speed at which technology develops and the rate at which regulation can be implemented, regulation alone can’t get the job done,” Stout said.

Lawmakers resisted efforts by the executives to paint their employers as the exception to concerns about children's safety online.

“I understand from your testimony that your defense is: We’re not Facebook,” Blumenthal said. “Being different from Facebook is not a defense. That bar is in the gutter.”

Lawmakers on Tuesday grilled executives from YouTube, Snap and TikTok about mounting concerns that their platforms can harm children and teenagers. A bipartisan group of senators expressed concerns that the companies’ software steered young people toward inappropriate posts, mishandled consumer data and did not do enough to spot dangerous content on their platforms.

Lawmakers on Tuesday grilled executives from YouTube, Snap and TikTok about mounting concerns that their platforms can harm children and teenagers. A bipartisan group of senators expressed concerns that the companies’ software steered young people toward inappropriate posts, mishandled consumer data and did not do enough to spot dangerous content on their platforms. Lawmakers repeatedly said their staff had been able to find harmful content — including posts related to self-harm and pornography — inside the companies’ products, sometimes while logged in as a teenager. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., opened the hearing by accusing the companies of drawing young people further and further into their products. Also read | Hate easiest way to grow on Facebook: Whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies before UK parliament “Everything that you do is to add users, especially kids, and keep them on your apps for longer,” said Blumenthal, who leads the subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee holding the hearing. The companies sent executives with political experience to answer the questions. TikTok was represented by Michael Beckerman, its head of public policy for the Americas who used to lead a top lobbying group for internet companies. Leslie Miller, YouTube’s vice president for government affairs and public policy and a former Democratic political aide, appeared on behalf of the streaming site. Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, sent Jennifer Stout, its vice president for global public policy and John Kerry’s former deputy chief of staff. Two weeks ago, Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager who leaked thousands of pages of internal documents, told the committee how the company knew that its products made teenagers feel worse about themselves. The decision to invite executives from other companies reflects how the lawmakers’ concerns go beyond Facebook and its photo app, Instagram, to include other major platforms across the web. The companies quickly tried to distance themselves from each other, while arguing they were already taking significant steps to protect child users. Also read | Facebook whistleblower brings campaign to Europe after disclosures Stout said that Snapchat was an “antidote to social media” and stressed the differences between Snapchat and Instagram. She said that her company’s app focused on connecting people who already knew each other in real life, rather than feeding them a constant stream of content from strangers. And she said it focused on privacy, making images and messages delete by default. She also stressed that Snapchat moderates the public content it promotes more heavily than other social media companies. Human moderators review content from publishers before promoting it in Discover, the public section of Snapchat that contains news and entertainment, Stout said. Content on Spotlight, Snap’s creator program that promotes videos from its users, is reviewed by artificial intelligence before being distributed, and reviewed by human moderators before it can be watched by more than 25 users, Stout added. Beckerman said that TikTok was different from other platforms that focus more on direct communication between users. “It’s about uplifting, entertaining content,” he said. “People love it.” He said that policymakers should look at the systems that verify whether users were old enough to use a product, suggesting that legislation should include language on age verification “across apps.” Also read | Inside the big Facebook leak Lawmakers also hammered Beckerman about whether TikTok’s Chinese ownership could expose consumer data to Beijing. Critics have long argued that the company would be obligated to turn Americans’ data over to the Chinese government if asked. “Access controls for our data is done by our US teams,” said Beckerman. “And as independent researchers, independent experts have pointed out, the data that TikTok has on the app is not of a national security importance and is of low sensitivity.” Senators repeatedly tried to prod the companies to commit to more transparency for researchers to investigate the health and safety of their platforms as well as support for elements of potential privacy legislation. Miller of YouTube refused to be pinned down in a series of exchanges with senators. When Blumenthal asked whether the companies would allow independent researchers access to algorithms, data sets and data privacy practices, Miller responded, “It would depend on the details, but we’re always looking to partner with experts in these important fields.” Watch | Gravitas: How Facebook profits from hate Blumenthal shot back that YouTube’s answer “indicates certainly a strong hesitancy if not resistance to providing access.” Similarly, Miller seemed reluctant to commit to aspects of potential privacy legislation such as a proposed update to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Specifically, she waffled on whether YouTube would support a ban on targeted advertising for children or curbs on adding “likes” or comments on videos — even as Miller said that the company already did not permit such features on children’s content. The companies frequently argued that they were already taking the kind of steps that could be required by laws in the future. “We believe that regulation is necessary but given the speed at which technology develops and the rate at which regulation can be implemented, regulation alone can’t get the job done,” Stout said. Lawmakers resisted efforts by the executives to paint their employers as the exception to concerns about children's safety online. “I understand from your testimony that your defense is: We’re not Facebook,” Blumenthal said. “Being different from Facebook is not a defense. That bar is in the gutter.”

YouTube, Snap and TikTok executives take their turn answering to Washington

Frances Haugen, a Facebook data scientist turned whistleblower, appeared Monday before a UK Parliamentary committee looking at online safety legislation.

Speaking to the British parliament, she said that Facebook will fuel more violent unrest around the world because of the way its algorithms are designed to promote divisive content.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-haugen-to-testify-about-facebook-and-online-harm-423860">Frances Haugen to testify about Facebook and online harm</a>

In her view, the social network saw safety as a cost centre and glorified a start-up culture where cutting corners was good. It was "unquestionably" making hate worse, she added.

"The events we're seeing around the world, things like Myanmar and Ethiopia, those are the opening chapters because engagement-based ranking does two things: one, it prioritises and amplifies divisive and polarising extreme content and two it concentrates it," she said.

Haugen said she had come forward "because now is the most critical time to act"

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/facebook-struggles-to-combat-misinformation-and-hate-speech-in-india-report-423506">Also read |&nbsp;Facebook struggles to combat misinformation and hate speech in India: Report</a>

She explained how Facebook Groups amplify online hate, saying algorithms that prioritize engagement take people with mainstream interests and push them to the extremes.

“One of the things that happens in aggregate is the algorithms take people who have very mainstream interests and they push them towards extreme interests. You can be someone who is center left and you’ll be pushed to radical left, you can be centre right and you’ll be pushed to radical right.”

As per her, the company could add moderators to prevent groups from being used to spread extremist views.

Watch |&nbsp;Facebook selective in curbing hate speech, mis-information and inflammatory posts

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/facebook-selective-in-curbing-hate-speech-mis-information-and-inflammatory-posts-423637/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The committee is proposing that companies that fail to limit and remove harmful online material should face heavy fines and other significant penalties.

"It pushes you to the extremes and it fans hate," she told lawmakers, adding," Anger and hate is the easiest way to grow on Facebook... bad actors have an incentive to play the algorithm, and they figure out all the ways to optimise Facebook."

Social media companies could face fines of up to 10% of their revenue if they fail to remove or limit the spread of illegal content, such as child sexual abuse.

The government has also called on platforms such as Facebook to do more to protect children from grooming, bullying, and pornography.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Frances Haugen, a Facebook data scientist turned whistleblower, appeared Monday before a UK Parliamentary committee looking at online safety legislation. Speaking to the British parliament, she said that Facebook will fuel more violent unrest around the world because of the way its algorithms are designed to promote divisive content.

Frances Haugen, a Facebook data scientist turned whistleblower, appeared Monday before a UK Parliamentary committee looking at online safety legislation. Speaking to the British parliament, she said that Facebook will fuel more violent unrest around the world because of the way its algorithms are designed to promote divisive content. Also read | Frances Haugen to testify about Facebook and online harm In her view, the social network saw safety as a cost centre and glorified a start-up culture where cutting corners was good. It was "unquestionably" making hate worse, she added. "The events we're seeing around the world, things like Myanmar and Ethiopia, those are the opening chapters because engagement-based ranking does two things: one, it prioritises and amplifies divisive and polarising extreme content and two it concentrates it," she said. Haugen said she had come forward "because now is the most critical time to act" Also read | Facebook struggles to combat misinformation and hate speech in India: Report She explained how Facebook Groups amplify online hate, saying algorithms that prioritize engagement take people with mainstream interests and push them to the extremes. “One of the things that happens in aggregate is the algorithms take people who have very mainstream interests and they push them towards extreme interests. You can be someone who is center left and you’ll be pushed to radical left, you can be centre right and you’ll be pushed to radical right.” As per her, the company could add moderators to prevent groups from being used to spread extremist views. Watch | Facebook selective in curbing hate speech, mis-information and inflammatory posts The committee is proposing that companies that fail to limit and remove harmful online material should face heavy fines and other significant penalties. "It pushes you to the extremes and it fans hate," she told lawmakers, adding," Anger and hate is the easiest way to grow on Facebook... bad actors have an incentive to play the algorithm, and they figure out all the ways to optimise Facebook." Social media companies could face fines of up to 10% of their revenue if they fail to remove or limit the spread of illegal content, such as child sexual abuse. The government has also called on platforms such as Facebook to do more to protect children from grooming, bullying, and pornography. (With inputs from Agencies)

Hate easiest way to grow on Facebook: Whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies before UK parliament

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen appeared before the UK Parliamentary committee looking at online safety legislation. Speaking to the British parliament, she said that Facebook will fuel more violent unrest around the world because of the way its algorithms are designed to promote divisive content.

Facebook will fuel further unrest: Whistleblower Haugen testifies before UK parliament

Facebook has lurched from controversy to controversy since Mark Zuckerberg started it as a Harvard undergrad in 2004. But the actions of Frances Haugen, a former product manager, have created a backlash and public relations crisis that stand apart.

On Monday, she took her tightly choreographed campaign to build a case for stiffer oversight of the social media giant to Europe. In front of British lawmakers Monday, she painted a portrait of a company vividly aware of its harmful effects on society but unwilling to act because doing so could jeopardize profits and growth.

Hours before she began speaking in London, more than a dozen news organizations published articles based on the Facebook Papers, a cache of documents she took before resigning from the company.

“We need regulation,” Haugen said Monday. “Until the incentives change, Facebook will not change,” she added later.

Facebook on Monday said profits in the latest quarter, which ended in September, had risen 17% to $9.2 billion, reflecting the company’s financial strength.

The revelations from Haugen have generated increased political support for new regulation in the United States and Europe, including some calls for Zuckerberg to step aside as Facebook’s CEO.

“Facebook is failing to prevent harm to children, it’s failing to stop the spread of disinformation, it is failing to stop the spread of hate speech,” John Nicolson, a lawmaker from Scotland, said during the hearing on Monday.

Haugen left Facebook with scores of internal research papers, slide decks, discussion threads, presentations and memos that she has shared with lawmakers, regulators and journalists.

After leaking internal company documents to The Wall Street Journal, Haugen revealed her identity this month for an episode of “60 Minutes” and testified before a Senate committee. She also shared the documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Since then, she has shared the Facebook materials with other news organizations.

During a call with financial analysts on Monday, Zuckerberg strongly criticized the news coverage and criticism stemming from Haugen’s leaks.

“My view on what we are seeing is a coordinated effort to selectively use leaked documents to create a false picture about our company,” he said.

Facebook has lurched from controversy to controversy since Mark Zuckerberg started it as a Harvard undergrad in 2004. But the actions of Frances Haugen, a former product manager, have created a backlash and public relations crisis that stand apart.

Facebook has lurched from controversy to controversy since Mark Zuckerberg started it as a Harvard undergrad in 2004. But the actions of Frances Haugen, a former product manager, have created a backlash and public relations crisis that stand apart. On Monday, she took her tightly choreographed campaign to build a case for stiffer oversight of the social media giant to Europe. In front of British lawmakers Monday, she painted a portrait of a company vividly aware of its harmful effects on society but unwilling to act because doing so could jeopardize profits and growth. Hours before she began speaking in London, more than a dozen news organizations published articles based on the Facebook Papers, a cache of documents she took before resigning from the company. “We need regulation,” Haugen said Monday. “Until the incentives change, Facebook will not change,” she added later. Facebook on Monday said profits in the latest quarter, which ended in September, had risen 17% to $9.2 billion, reflecting the company’s financial strength. The revelations from Haugen have generated increased political support for new regulation in the United States and Europe, including some calls for Zuckerberg to step aside as Facebook’s CEO. “Facebook is failing to prevent harm to children, it’s failing to stop the spread of disinformation, it is failing to stop the spread of hate speech,” John Nicolson, a lawmaker from Scotland, said during the hearing on Monday. Haugen left Facebook with scores of internal research papers, slide decks, discussion threads, presentations and memos that she has shared with lawmakers, regulators and journalists. After leaking internal company documents to The Wall Street Journal, Haugen revealed her identity this month for an episode of “60 Minutes” and testified before a Senate committee. She also shared the documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Since then, she has shared the Facebook materials with other news organizations. During a call with financial analysts on Monday, Zuckerberg strongly criticized the news coverage and criticism stemming from Haugen’s leaks. “My view on what we are seeing is a coordinated effort to selectively use leaked documents to create a false picture about our company,” he said.

Facebook whistleblower brings campaign to Europe after disclosures

Facebook is in the sights of US lawmakers once again. A recent Wall Street Journal report cites internal knowledge of its harmful effects and the company's reticence to act. A whistleblower, a former Facebook employee, came out in public this week to testify against the social media company, only adding to the scrutiny.

Facebook algorithms promote falsehood faster than truth: Frances Haugen

On Tuesday, a Facebook whistleblower told US senators that the social media juggernaut promotes divisiveness, hurts children, and urgently needs to be controlled, prompting promises that Congress will take long-delayed action.

Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee who disclosed reams of internal information to authorities and The Wall Street Journal, testified on Capitol Hill, fueling one of the company's most serious crises yet.&nbsp; 
 
Watch: How Facebook algorithm harms children

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-facebook-algorithm-harms-children-418497/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hate-speech-for-profit-facebook-whistleblower-reveals-identity-418061">Also read: Hate speech for profit: Facebook whistleblower reveals identity</a> 
 
Here are top quotes from Former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony:

&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="7">I believe that Facebook's products harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="8">Congressional action is needed. They won't solve this crisis without your help. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="9">The company intentionally hides vital information from the public, from the US government and from governments around the world. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10">There is no one currently holding Mark (Zuckerberg, the Facebook chief executive) to account. The buck stops with Mark." 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="11">Yesterday we saw Facebook taken off the internet. I don’t know why it went down, but I know that for more than five hours, Facebook wasn’t used to deepen divides, destabilise democracies and make young girls and women feel bad about their bodies.</li>
</ol>

Haugen, a 37-year-old data scientist from Iowa, has worked for businesses like as Google and Pinterest, but she told CBS' "60 Minutes" on Sunday that Facebook was "significantly worse" than anything she had ever seen. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/mark-zuckerberg-loses-7-billion-in-hours-as-facebook-plunges-418427">Also read | Mark Zuckerberg loses $7 billion in hours as Facebook plunges</a>

Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of policy and global affairs, fiercely denied that its platforms are "poison" for adolescents, only days after a heated, hours-long congressional session in which US legislators questioned the firm on its influence on young users' mental health.

Late Monday, Facebook blamed the outage on changes to router configurations that coordinate network traffic between its data centres.&nbsp;

For years, US legislators have vowed to regulate Facebook and other social media platforms in response to complaints that the internet companies violate privacy, serve as a platform for hazardous disinformation, and harm the well-being of young people.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

On Tuesday, a Facebook whistleblower told US senators that the social media juggernaut promotes divisiveness, hurts children, and urgently needs to be controlled, prompting promises that Congress will take long-delayed action.

On Tuesday, a Facebook whistleblower told US senators that the social media juggernaut promotes divisiveness, hurts children, and urgently needs to be controlled, prompting promises that Congress will take long-delayed action. Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee who disclosed reams of internal information to authorities and The Wall Street Journal, testified on Capitol Hill, fueling one of the company's most serious crises yet. Watch: How Facebook algorithm harms children Also read: Hate speech for profit: Facebook whistleblower reveals identity Here are top quotes from Former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony: I believe that Facebook's products harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy. Congressional action is needed. They won't solve this crisis without your help. The company intentionally hides vital information from the public, from the US government and from governments around the world. There is no one currently holding Mark (Zuckerberg, the Facebook chief executive) to account. The buck stops with Mark." Yesterday we saw Facebook taken off the internet. I don’t know why it went down, but I know that for more than five hours, Facebook wasn’t used to deepen divides, destabilise democracies and make young girls and women feel bad about their bodies. Haugen, a 37-year-old data scientist from Iowa, has worked for businesses like as Google and Pinterest, but she told CBS' "60 Minutes" on Sunday that Facebook was "significantly worse" than anything she had ever seen. Also read | Mark Zuckerberg loses $7 billion in hours as Facebook plunges Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of policy and global affairs, fiercely denied that its platforms are "poison" for adolescents, only days after a heated, hours-long congressional session in which US legislators questioned the firm on its influence on young users' mental health. Late Monday, Facebook blamed the outage on changes to router configurations that coordinate network traffic between its data centres. For years, US legislators have vowed to regulate Facebook and other social media platforms in response to complaints that the internet companies violate privacy, serve as a platform for hazardous disinformation, and harm the well-being of young people. (With inputs from agencies)

'Facebook weakens our democracy, harms kids': Top quotes from whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony

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