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Mark Zuckerberg Refutes Allegations from Facebook Whistleblower
Frances Haugen, a former data engineer turned whistleblower, presented her concerns regarding the impact of Facebook on younger users to the US Senate. Haugen expressed that the continuous usage of Facebook and its associated apps, such as Instagram, is notably detrimental to the mental well-being of adolescents. She further stated that Facebook was fully aware of this issue but consciously chose not to address it.
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook, responded to Haugen’s claims, labeling them as untrue. In a blog post, he refuted the allegations by saying, “The notion that we prioritize revenue over user safety and welfare is simply unfounded.”
He added, “The argument that we knowingly promote content that incites anger for profit is fundamentally flawed. Our primary source of revenue comes from advertisements, and advertisers consistently emphasize that they do not wish their ads to be associated with harmful or provocative content.”
“Many of these accusations lack logical coherence. If we were inclined to disregard research, why would we invest significantly in a cutting-edge research initiative to comprehend these critical issues in the first place?” he questioned.
Denying the allegations of a former executive, based on Facebook’s internal findings, the CEO clarified that the company does not prioritize profits over people, dismissing such claims as baseless. https://t.co/tpp7ChdQw0
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) October 6, 2021
Zuckerberg asserted that Facebook indeed took steps to minimize the prevalence of harmful content on the platform, citing a shortage of manpower as their primary challenge. “If we had little concern for combatting harmful content, why would we employ a significantly larger workforce dedicated to this cause compared to other companies in our industry – including those more prominent than us? Why establish a leading standard in the industry for transparency and reporting if we sought to conceal our actions?” he questioned.
Additionally, Zuckerberg highlighted alterations made to the feed algorithm in 2018 to reduce the circulation of misinformation and harmful content. “This adjustment led to a decline in viral videos and an increase in content from friends and family – a deliberate decision despite the expectation of decreased user engagement on Facebook. Our research indicated that it was a beneficial step for the well-being of users. Would a profit-driven company prioritize such actions over user interests?”
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