Facebook exec: We do not prioritize engagement over safety

A Facebook enforcement is pushing backmost connected a whistleblower's claims—supported by the company's ain interior research—that the societal network's products harm children and substance polarization successful the U.S.

Monika Bickert, Facebook's caput of planetary argumentation management, told The Associated Press Wednesday that "we bash not and we person not prioritized engagement implicit safety." Bickert said the crushed Facebook researches teen well-being connected Instagram is truthful that the institution tin physique amended products and features to enactment them.

Whistleblower Frances Haugen, however, testified earlier the Senate Tuesday that Facebook knows that vulnerable people are harmed by its systems and has not made meaningful changes to forestall it. The platform is designed to exploit negative emotions to support radical connected the platform, she said.

"They are alert of the broadside effects of the choices they person made astir amplification," Haugen said. "They cognize that algorithmic-based rankings, oregon engagement-based rankings, keeps you connected their sites longer. You person longer sessions, you amusement up much often, and that makes them much money."

Bickert pointed to features and tools Facebook has introduced implicit the years, specified arsenic hiding "like counts" connected Instagram "which means erstwhile you station something, if you're a young person, you don't person to interest astir however galore radical are going to similar your station and whether radical volition spot that."

But Facebook's ain researchers recovered that hiding similar counts did not assistance marque teenagers consciousness better.

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