Former Facebook product manager and whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before a U.S. Senate committee this week, sharing the negative impact the social media platform has on its users.
“Congress can change the rules Facebook plays by and stop the harm it is causing. We now know the truth about Facebook’s destructive impact. I really appreciate the seriousness [with] which the members of Congress and the Securities Exchange Commission are approaching these issues. I came forward at great personal risk, because I believe we still have time to act. But we must act now,” Haugen said during her testimony.
Prior to the hearing, she turned over thousands of documents from her time at Facebook to federal law enforcement officials, members of Congress, and the Wall Street Journal. They show Facebook boosts posts likely to provoke angry reactions because they get more clicks, and therefore more ad dollars. Haugen’s testimony has renewed the conversation over whether — and how — tech companies like Facebook could be regulated by the government.