Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee responsible for numerous information leaks, accused Facebook of focusing on profits instead of suppressing hate speech and cautioning the regulation of information available on Facebook.
The 37-year-old data scientist has worked for Google and Pinterest, but said in an interview with the CBS news show “60 Minutes” that Facebook was “substantially worse” than anything she had seen before – DW.
She explained how Facebook’s News Feed algorithm is made to cater to those who can give information the best reaction or action. The company’s own research shows that it is “easier to inspire people to anger than it is to other emotions,” she said.
“Facebook has realised that if they change the algorithm to be safer, people will spend less time on the site, they’ll click on less ads, they’ll make less money.”
Before she left Facebook n May, she downloaded and copied thousands of internal documents that detailed how Facebook knew its products i.e Instagram, were harming young girls and this is especially around body image.
“Facebook over and over again has shown it chooses profit over safety. It is subsidising, it is paying for its profits with our safety,” Haugen said.
Facebook has been questioned about some of the rules that govern censorship especially those that cause harm and the multi-billion dollar company continues to evade such altercations or fails to take responsibility for its action.