In September of 2021, a former Facebook employee filed a lawsuit against the app’s toxicity and misinformation mainly targeted towards teenage girls.
On October 4th, Frances Haugen was revealed as the whistleblower (anyone who has and reports insider knowledge of illegal activities occurring in an organization) when she testified before a senate committee on the arguments that Facebook harms children, encourages division, and thinks more about profit than the over-all community.
In the ‘60 Minutes’ interview with Haugen, the whistleblower mentions that “evidence shows that the company is lying to the public about making significant progress against hate, violence, and misinformation.” Through a documentation stating how much violence is incited simply through the use of Facebook and what the app projects to the users.
An ethnic genocide was launched in 2018 through the use of Facebook against the Myanmar people. It has continued on since that date and has caused the lives of many, explained Haugen.
In 2020, after the United States election, the company decided to cut out their civil contract which was initially instilled before the elections in order to prevent controversies. As soon as the elections were over they prioritized corporation growth over user safety. Which is a noticeable cycle of theirs when it comes to deciding on whether to keep the company running or the users safe.
The January 6th, 2020 rebellion that led to the capital being ransacked was organized on Facebook through very violent posts of the planned riot.
Posts saying: “By Bullet or Ballot Restoration Of The Republic Is Coming”, “FAIR WARNING. IF THIS ELECTION IS STOLEN FOR BIDEN… PATRIOTS WILL GO TO WAR.”, “For Freedom’s Sake FORM A MILITIA” and many more enticing posts that supposedly could have been regulated.
No doubt, social media is addictive and its effects are lethal. Similarly, Instagram, created by the makers of Facebook, was found to have a negative effect on young girls. Increased suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders in an average of 13.5-17% of teenage girls.
This side effect of social media leads to the same people being affected, turning back to the same platforms to find comfort in them, even though it’s doing them more harm than good. This repetitive cycle aids the corporation while traumatizing the users.
Some people that have paid attention to the interview and senate hearing say:
“I noticed the constant hate charged content in 2019 and logged off. Best choice ever.” -Tiya B
“I had to delete Twitter/Facebook/Instagram a few years ago for my well-being. I felt like I was developing an anxiety disorder [and] worsening depression because of it. They became a crutch to me anytime I felt anxiety and would use them for HOURS on end, like the entire day.” -Cheyenne Holcomb
“Since when does a whistleblower get pushed to front page news and is aired on television ? She’s calling for more government control and censorship… we are at a point now where either you are pro authoritarian or pro civil freedoms. A real whistleblower has their reputation and life ruined, not an army of lawyers and passive resistance from the media.” -Kandis Ly
“20 years ago, the internet was an escape from the real world. Today, the real world is an escape from the internet.” -Anonymous
