'Moral bankruptcy': Facebook whistleblower's key points

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen offered heavy penetration Tuesday into however the societal media elephantine works and however it could beryllium fixed.

From an insular civilization to harm to teens' body image, Haugen told US senators what she saw wrong the company.

Here are immoderate highlights of her testimony:

Frankenstein Facebook

"If you divided Facebook and Instagram apart, it's apt that astir advertizing dollars volition spell to Instagram and Facebook volition proceed to beryllium this Frankenstein... that is endangering lives astir the world... these systems are going to proceed to beryllium and beryllium unsafe adjacent if breached up."

Release institution studies

"I judge it is vitally important that we found mechanisms wherever Facebook's interior probe indispensable beryllium disclosed to the nationalist connected a regular basis."

Insular culture

"Facebook has a civilization that emphasizes that insularity is the way forward, that if accusation is shared with the public, it volition conscionable beryllium misunderstood."

Change won't beryllium ruinous

"A batch of the changes I'm talking astir are not going to marque Facebook an unprofitable company," she said. "It conscionable won't beryllium a ludicrously profitable institution similar it is today."

Increase property limit

"I powerfully promote raising property limits to 16 oregon 18 years old, based connected looking astatine the information astir problematic usage oregon addiction connected the level and children's self-regulation issues," she said.

The authoritative bounds presently is 13 years aged to articulation Facebook.

Facebook needs help

"You tin state motivation bankruptcy, you tin admit you did thing wrong. And we tin determination forward."

Eating upset dangers

"I besides privation to stress that eating disorders are serious, determination are going to beryllium women walking astir this satellite successful 60 years with brittle bones due to the fact that of the choices that Facebook made astir emphasizing nett today."

Parents don't understand

"Facebook knows that parents today, due to the fact that they... person ne'er experienced this addictive acquisition with a portion of technology, they springiness their children atrocious advice. They accidental things similar 'Why don't you conscionable halt utilizing it?'"

Structural problems

"Facebook has acceptable up an enactment wherever the parts of the enactment liable for increasing and expanding are abstracted and not regularly cross-pollinated with the parts of the institution that absorption connected the harms the company has caused."

CEO Mark Zuckerberg decides

"In the end, the subordinate stops with Mark. There is nary 1 presently holding Mark accountable but himself."

Hits of dopamine

"Facebook knows that contented that elicits an utmost absorption from you is much apt to get a click, a remark oregon re-share," she said.

"Those clicks and comments and re-shares aren't needfully for your benefit... They prioritize contented successful your provender truthful that you volition springiness small hits of dopamine to your friends truthful they volition nutrient much content."

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© 2021 AFP