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Facebook Whistleblower Testifies Before United States Senate
- Her identity as the Facebook whistleblower was revealed on “60 Minutes” on Sunday night
The Facebook whistleblower who released tens of thousands of pages of internal research and documents indicating the company was aware of various problems caused by its apps, including Instagram’s potential “toxic” effect on teen girls, is testifying at a United States Senate hearing titled “Protecting Kids Online.”
Frances Haugen, a 37-year-old former Facebook product manager who worked on civic integrity issues at the company, is facing questions from a Senate Commerce subcommittee about what Facebook-owned Instagram knew about its effects on young users, among other issues.
In her testimony, Haugen said, “I believe what I did was right and necessary for the common good — but I know Facebook has infinite resources, which it could use to destroy me.”
“I came forward because I recognized a frightening truth: almost no one outside of Facebook knows what happens inside Facebook,” she added.
Read also: Zuckerberg Loses Over $6 Billion To Facebook Outage
Her identity as the Facebook whistleblower was revealed on “60 Minutes” Sunday night.
She previously shared a series of documents with regulators and the Wall Street Journal, which published a multi-part investigation showing that Facebook was aware of problems with its apps, including the negative effects of misinformation and the harm caused by Instagram, especially to young girls.
Haugen concluded the opening statement of her testimony by calling on Congress to implement regulations that “change the rules” for Facebook.
“These problems are solvable. A safer, free speech-respecting, more enjoyable social media is possible,” she said. “Facebook can change, but is clearly not going to do so on its own. My fear is that without action, divisive and extremist behaviors we are seeing now are just the beginning.”
Haugen added: “Congress can change the rules that Facebook plays by and stop the many harms it is causing.”
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