Paul Sandle

LONDON (Reuters). Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:)’s https://www.reuters.com/technology/facebooks-zuckerberg-kicks-off-its-virtual-reality-event-with-metaverse-vision-2021-10-28 algorithms demote rather than promote polarising content, its global head of safety told British lawmakers on Thursday, adding that the U.S. company would welcome effective government regulation.

European and American governments are trying to control social media platforms, especially for younger users.

Britain leads the way by proposing laws to fine social media firms up to 10% of turnover for failing to limit or remove illegal content.

If the existing measures fail, secondary legislation could be introduced that would hold directors of companies liable.

Facebook https://www.reuters.com/technology/facebook-asks-employees-preserve-internal-documents-legal-inquiries-2021-10-27 whistleblower Frances Haugen https://www.reuters.com/technology/facebook-sees-safety-cost-whistleblower-says-2021-10-25 told the same committee of lawmakers on Monday that Facebook’s algorithms pushed extreme and divisive content to users.

Antigone Davis of Facebook denied the accusation.

Davis said Thursday that she disagreed with Davis’ assertion that they are amplifying hate. He also stated: “I think that we try and take in signals so that we can degrade content divisive or polarising for instance.”

Although she couldn’t guarantee that a user wouldn’t be recommended for hateful content by Facebook, she said AI was being used to decrease its frequency to 0.05 percent.

“We are not interested in creating hate on our platform, and making people feel bad. We won’t let that happen. “Our advertisers will not allow it to happen.”

Davis stated that Facebook announced Thursday its rebranding as Meta and asked regulators for their help in making social media safer. This included research on eating disorders and body image.

She said that many of these issues are social and she would love a regulator to take a role. Facebook also would appreciate a regulator with effective and proportionate enforcement powers.

“I believe criminal liability for directors would be a serious move and we don’t need to do it.”