Summary
Facebook is under fire again over alleged harm caused by the platform and the tech giant’s willingness — or lack thereof — to stop it. Leaked internal papers given to Congress and federal regulators by a former employee show how the company was privately tracking real world harm by its platform, and how CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s public statements conflicted with that private data.Five Facts
- Who is interviewed in this piece, and what is her background?
- What are some of the concerns Facebook employees had about the harm Facebook was causing?
- When did Yael Eisenstat begin questioning Facebook's policies regarding fact-checking and political ads?
- Why does Eisenstat say Facebook was making "political" decisions about what content to monitor?
- How has Facebook pushed back against accusations that it hasn't done enough to control disinformation on its site?
Focus Questions
Do you think that national legislation regulating the internet could help prevent the spread of disinformation and misinformation? Explain. Media literacy: Where do you see the most misinformation shared online? Do you think the solutions to misinformation should involve regulation, or can consumer choices about what kinds of media to consume make a bigger difference?For More
- How can you tell fact from fiction online? Check out this story for some helpful tips to becoming more media savvy.
- What's the difference between misinformation and disinformation? Use this full lesson plan to learn more.
