FacebookFrances Haugen spoke Tuesday before a Senate panel, stating that Congress needs to intervene to fix the problem created by former employers’ products.

According to the former Facebook product manager, civic misinformation, Facebook’s algorithm was capable of directing young users away from seemingly innocuous content like recipes for healthy food to promote anorexia within a relatively short time. Although she did not say that top executives were responsible for creating unsafe products, she claimed that Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO, was.

Haugen, who unmasked herself Sundayas the source of leaked documents that form the basis for a revealing Wall Street Journal series about FacebookBefore the Senate Commerce subcommittee, Haugen testified. In an interview that aired on “60 Minutes”, Haugen stated that she was more concerned about Facebook than any other place she had worked. Google YelpAnd PinterestIt was. According to her, she had tens of thousand of pages of internal research with her after she quit Facebook in May.

Haugen stated in written testimony that “I observed that Facebook frequently encountered conflicts between itself and safety.” Facebook resolved these conflicts consistently in its favor for its profits. The result has been a system that amplifies division, extremism and polarization — and undermining societies around the world.”

Haugen stated in her prepared remarks that she believed she was doing the right thing by coming forward. However, she acknowledged that Facebook may use its vast resources to “destroy her”.

Haugen stated in written comments that she came forward to reveal a terrifying truth. “Almost no one other than Facebook knows the inner workings of Facebook.” The company’s leaders keep vital information secret from the U.S. government and its shareholders as well as governments all over the globe.

Haugen explained that the moment Facebook disbanded its civic integrity team following the 2020 U.S. Election was a turning point for her. Facebook claimed that it would incorporate those responsibilities in other areas of the company. Haugen stated that 75% of her seven “pod”, which consisted mostly of people with civic integrity, left the organization within six months.

“Sixty-eight months later, we clearly had lost faith in the coming changes,” she stated.

Although lawmakers called for Facebook to stop its plans to make an Instagram platform specifically for children (after it had announced a temporary suspension), Haugen said to senators that she was “sincerely surprised” by Facebook’s decision to cease working on the product.

Haugen stated that Facebook understands the need to keep growing and must find new users. He also suggested that it is important to instill good habits with children.

Haugen made disclosures to both the U.S. Senate & the Journal. filed complaints with the Securities and Exchange CommissionFacebook claimed that it misled investors, advertisers, by not disclosing or misleading what it knew regarding how its platforms were used. This included spreading misinformation and the actions it was taking against it.

Facebook accused the Journal for cherry-picking data. They emphasized that most users who were surveyed found that using their products had positive results, even if a few felt that it caused them to feel worse.

According to Haugen’s written comments, Facebook was accused of “paying its profits with safety and safety for our children.”

Although she called for regulations to be imposed on Facebook by lawmakers, she stated in her testimony that she was wary of “Tweaks and outdated privacy protections or modifications to Section 230 being sufficient.” This refers to the legal safeguard that shields online platforms against liability for user posts. Also, she stated that she thinks a healthy social network platform is achievable and said Facebook gives her false options between your privacy and the people and things you love.

She stated that transparency was the best first step.

According to her, she told legislators that Facebook teams were often understaffed. This led to “an implicit discouragement” from better detection systems. According to her, if Facebook even had a simple detector for the counter-espionage unit she was part of, it would have been able pick up more cases than what they currently handle.

In a similar vein, she said that Facebook could “substantially” do more to identify children using their platform. She believes Congress should publish these processes. Facebook is able to identify more children underage on its platform, even when they lie about being their age.

The chairman of the subcommittee Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), opened the hearing Tuesday and asked Zuckerberg to appear before the committee explaining the company’s actions. The chairman of the subcommittee, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), called on Zuckerberg to come before the committee and explain his company’s actions.

Haugen claimed that Zuckerberg’s unusual position of CEO and founder, holding a majority vote share in the company, makes him solely accountable.

Haugen claimed that “no other powerful company is as unidirectionally managed”

Blumenthal claimed that Haugen’s revelations brought about a “Big Tobacco moment”, which Haugen also echoed in her testimony. Blumenthal spoke of his experience as Connecticut’s attorney General in suing tobacco companies. He recalled a similar moment where enforcers found out that these companies had carried out research showing harmful effects.

Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the Chairman of the Commerce Committee called the hearing “part of the process to demystify Big Tech”.

This is a developing story.

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