Summary
Facebook is under fire Tuesday following testimony by a former employee before a U.S. Senate committee. Frances Haugen alleged the company too frequently turns a blind eye to potential harm for the sake of profit. Facebook denied that in statements to the PBS Newshour and said it is working to make its platforms safer.
Five Facts
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Who
testified before the U.S. Senate and what is her background?
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What
are some of the concerns raised by the whistleblower about Facebook's practices?
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When
did Facebook complete a review on its impact on mental health?
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Why
did Haugen call for regulating social media instead of breaking up Facebook?
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How
did Facebook push back against accusations that its products were bad for teen mental health?
Focus Questions
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Do you think it's a good idea for the federal government to regulate the information that is shared over social media based on the impact it has on viewers? What might be some unintended consequences of federal regulation of social media content?
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Do you think Haugen's concerns are valid? Explain.
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How does social media positively or negatively impact teens' mental health?
Media literacy:
Do you think the First Amendment protects social media companies from regulating the content on their sites? Why or why not?
For More
Watch the testimony in the tweet below for more of Haugen's testimony. If you want to watch more of her testimony, you can
do so here
. Why does Haugen warn against targeting children as young as eight-years-old for its Messenger Kids app?
https://twitter.com/NewsHour/status/1445430830684385287
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Is it possible to create new internet or social media regulations that also respect First Amendment rights? One former Facebook engineer makes a case in
this New York Times
opinion piece.
